You Raise Me Up
by callieeefornia
Summary: An AU (Prisoner of Azkaban) in which Remus remembers his Wolfsbane potion on the night that the truth about Sirius is revealed, and manages to help return Pettigrew to the castle. Follow Harry, Remus, and Sirius, as they learn how to be a family, while also fighting the dark forces that are at work. I don't own the characters, all JK Rowling.
1. Freedom

-An AU (Prisoner of Azkaban) in which Remus remembers his Wolfsbane potion on the night that the truth about Sirius is revealed, and manages to help return Pettigrew to the castle. I don't own the characters, all JK Rowling. Also, because I love using my imagination, but also hate the idea of ruining an amazing story, I'm going to try to stick to the crucial details in Harry Potter and not digress to far from the plot line. Not sure how far this story will go, I'll write this chapter and go from there. Sirius is my favorite character, so this will mostly focus on Harry and himself. Warnings: Mentions of child abuse and maybe a little bit of mental health problems/depression. -

"Well Sirius, I think I owe you an apology." Dumbledore said in awe, still staring at the unconscious heap that was Pettigrew. After calling the Minister to Hogwarts and administering the veritaserum, they had stunned Pettigrew to keep him from changing back into his animagus form. It was now the next morning; Pettigrew had remained unconscious, and Remus had returned from his easier-than-normal transformation thanks to the Wolfsbane potion he remembered to take before pursuing the kids into the Whomping Willow.

Black smiled up at his former headmaster. "It's not your fault Albus. Those were dark times, I think everyone believed it was me, even my best mate."

Professor Lupin placed a hand on his shoulder and Black looked up to meet his eyes. "I too am sorry for that. I should have known you would have never betrayed Lily and James, you loved them and Harry far too much."

At the mention of his name, Harry glanced up. Fudge had left after hearing the confession the previous evening to retrieve aurors to deliver Pettigrew to Azkaban, so all who remained in the room were Dumbledore, Professor Lupin, Black, and himself. Hermione and Ron, after giving their own testimony, were sent to the hospital wing, where a still unconscious Professor Snape resided.

"Speaking of Harry," Dumbledore said kindly, his eyes twinkling as he walked in his direction. "How do you feel about all this? That was a noble thing that you did tonight, saving an innocent man's life, as well as sparing the man's life that took something as dear as a parent's love away from you."

Harry gave Dumbledore a small smile and looked back down again. He was very happy about the turn of events - there was no denying that. But a question had been bothering him all night, ever since Black had mentioned outside of the Whomping Willow that he was in fact, his godfather. "Do… do I have to go back to the Dursley's?" Harry whispered, not daring to look up into the eyes of his headmaster for the fear of seeing pity in them.

Dumbledore turned and walked back towards his desk, not making eye contact with any of them. "Harry, this is tricky stuff. I've explained to you about your mother's protection in the past, haven't I?"

"Well yes, but-" Harry started, immediately cut off.

"I know you aren't happy living with them though, and I would hate to prevent you from getting to know one of the people that have considered you family since the moment they laid eyes on you." Dumbledore motioned to Black, who in return gave Harry a reassuring nod. "That being said, I'm at a loss for what to do. I want you to be happy Harry, and I think we can all agree Sirius deserves some love and happiness in his life after this twelve year ordeal-"

"Sir," Harry stopped him, confused. "What does any of that have to do with my mother's protection?"

"Like I said Harry, it's difficult magic. When your mother died for you, she sealed a certain type of blood ward around you that's strengthened while you're at the Dursley's. As long as you consider it to be home, and you return to it once a year, you're protected. That's all I want to tell you for the time being on the matter, but that's why I've been adamant on sending you back. As I told you your first year, I firmly believe that Voldemort will return, and want to ensure that you are completely protected through the family magic Lily bestowed upon you; however, there is an alternative that I have been contemplating." Dumbledore paused, looking at the wide-eyed boy in front of him.

Harry nodded, waiting to hear of Dumbledore's alternative.

"The issue is, by sending you to live with Sirius, Number 4 Privet Drive will no longer be home to you and the blood wards will become useless. But I think some similar protections can be set up between your godfather and you. I need to read up more on the idea, but being named a godparent is a very important magical wizarding tradition, so I'm sure we can find some way to make this work. My request of you, until I can guarantee that information, is that you return there until your birthday, which if I am correct, is a month away from today?" Harry nodded, listening raptly to the older wizard. "That will seal the blood wards for another year, allow me to gather information on a bond between a godparent and child and the protections that come with it, and give Sirius time to settle down himself and get his own life back on track. You can spend the final month of your summer with Sirius, getting to know him before you return to Hogwarts next year. Hopefully we'll have your permanent living arrangements worked out by the Christmas holidays. Do we have a deal Harry?"

Harry glanced over at Sirius, who was looking hopeful. He smiled at him, then turned back to Dumbledore and nodded. "Yes professor, we do."

"Wonderful," Dumbledore said, the twinkle returning to his bright blue eyes. "On that note, I will have to ask you to leave, as the aurors should be arriving soon for Pettigrew, and Sirius will have to fill out some paperwork."

Harry looked over sadly to his godfather and Professor Lupin. He didn't want to leave - he wanted to talk with Sirius more. The night had been so eventful, he wanted to get to know him better. Sirius noticed this and walked over to where Harry was sitting. He placed a hand on his shoulder and looked down at him with kind, gray eyes. "Don't worry, I'll stop by the hospital wing before I make my leave this evening and we can say a proper farewell."

"Absolutely," Dumbledore said with another smile. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey would like a look at both of you, especially you Sirius. I trust you haven't had a decent meal recently?"

Sirius chuckled, then squeezed Harry's shoulder before moving back to where Professor Lupin and Dumbledore were standing. Harry got up and walked toward the door, receiving a pat on the back from Professor Lupin on his way.

* * *

"Oi, Harry, what happened?" Ron said, sitting up in bed as Harry walked into the hospital wing. He saw Snape out of the corner of his eye, who in turn was grimacing at him as if he was the most vile thing to step foot in the castle.

"I'll tell you later," Harry said with a faint nod in Snape's direction. Hermione and Ron both caught the hint and went on to talking about other things, like Quidditch and the end of year banquet that would be happening in a few days. Although Harry was disappointed to have to return to the Dursley's again, a newfound hope was rising in him at the prospect of living with Sirius in a meager month. He couldn't wait to see the look on his Uncle's face when he told him his escaped convict of a godfather would be coming to their house halfway through the summer… he might even "forget" to mention Sirius's innocence to him.

* * *

"Hurry boy, your aunt and I don't have all day for goodbyes. We work you know! Ungrateful little freak." Uncle Vernon sniped across the train station, attracting the attention of all of the Weasley's.

"Oh, that man is dreadful, Harry." Mrs. Weasley said, giving Harry a large hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I hate that you can't come with us, but we'll be seeing you soon I hope, at the Quidditch World Cup perhaps? Did Ron mention that to you on the train?"

Harry nodded and gave Mrs. Weasley a reassuring smile. "I'd love to Mrs. Weasley - and don't worry too much about me. Dumbledore and I are working on new living arrangements. I'm sure Ron will tell you about them soon."

With one last pat on the shoulder from Ron and a hug from Hermione, Harry walked to the Dursley's, feeling much more content this summer than the previous ones.

"What are you holding boy?" Vernon asked, slightly unhinged by the look of pure happiness that ran across Harry's features when he spoke.

"It's a letter from my godfather." Harry replied simply, pulling it away from his uncle's reach.

"You haven't got a godfather," Vernon yelled, turning a delightful shade of puce at the prospect.

"Oh actually I do - he's a convicted murder that recently escaped. He likes to check up on me from time to time, he might even stop by this summer." Harry said casually, appreciating the look of horror on his relative's ugly features.

He walked off towards the car, feeling far more confident about this upcoming summer than he had when Dumbledore first mentioned the plans. What he didn't notice however, was the rapid conversation his aunt and uncle were having further behind him.

"Did you know he had a godfather?" Vernon whispered frantically to his wife.

"N-no! He's never said anything before and I had never looked at my sister's will." Petunia sighed, "I just assumed she put us on it when he showed up on our doorstep. Oh god Vernon, what are we to do? If the convict shows up in our neighborhood-"

"He won't," Vernon said confidently. "The only reason he would show up would be to take the little freak away from us, which he can't do, we're his legal guardians."

"But Vernon, what if he shows up and does some… some of that horrid stuff that _their kind_ do. We've got to protect our poor Dudders. What if-" Petunia gasped, clutching her heart.

"What is it, my sweet?" Vernon said, noticing his wife's distress.

"I mean, who would really want that freak anyway?" Petunia said, anger growing inside of her. "I know exactly what that convict wants. We were on the Potter's will I'm sure, Vernon, but what if this convict was placed on it higher than us? He doesn't want the boy, he wants my sister's money, which is rightfully ours! We've had to support the little freak for years, we deserve their possessions. He's going to try and take the boy and then kill him, so he can be the rightful heir of it. We've got to stop him from coming here!"

"You're probably right, and I have a plan, Petunia." Vernon said, eyeing Harry in front of him as he re-read his godfather's letter. "We have to scare the boy, make sure he doesn't say he wants to be taken from us. They can't remove him if he says he doesn't want to be. There would be no reason to, and his godfather would be so hurt he wouldn't come back. Then we can decide what to do with the boy and the Potter's inheritance would be ours."

Petunia nodded at her husband's words as they approached the car, still worried about the prospect of a convicted murderer showing up in Little Whinging, but knowing that her husband was right as usual.

Harry, who was encaptured in the letter was none the wiser to what his relatives had planned, but he was already counting down the days to what he hoped would be the best birthday he ever had.


	2. Rescue

The summer did not begin the way Harry had expected; he thought the looming idea of a convicted murderer coming to his rescue at any word of mistreatment would frighten the Dursley's, but instead it only seemed to anger them. At the beginning, the Dursley's locked all of Harry's school supplies in their own closet (to Harry's immense displeasure, at least he knew they weren't being burned or destroyed in the cupboard), as well as ensured all the windows were shut to prevent Hedwig from sending or bringing back letters. Harry was at first indignant, hating the idea of being cut off from his friends and his godfather whom he longed to know more about. When the Dursley's began to use violence, however, Harry kept his mouth shut. They had always been cruel towards him and bordered on abusive, but never actually crossed the line that could get them in real trouble. This summer proved to be different.

At first, Harry tried to argue back and threatened them with the mention of Sirius. Vernon would shove him in his cupboard upon hearing his godfather's name and lock him in there for days at a time without any food and barely enough water. Harry would come out of the cupboard after two days weak and humiliated, having wet himself from not being able to go to the bathroom during the amount of time. He wasn't even given a chance to clean up, instead being assigned the chores that were neglected over the days he had been locked up.

He continued to try and resist over the first week, but when Vernon punched him into a wall and kicked him hard in the throat, Harry was helpless and shocked, knowing he'd have to do the chores or he would receive worse. Every night after his chores, he was given a small helping of bread, then thrown into the cupboard again. After the fifth night of this, he counted the padlocks as they clicked into place, then heard the deranged laugh of his uncle.

"Where's your godfather now? Decided he didn't want a freak like you, did he? And why would he? You're good for nothing anyway, can't even do the simple tasks we assign you. You're much better off here, where we feed you. You should be grateful."

At first, Harry tried to ignore the insults that spewed out of his uncle, but after two weeks of not hearing anything from Sirius, Harry began to worry. Maybe his uncle's words did hold some truth in them? Why else would Sirius have not tried to write? Deep down, Harry knew that even if Sirius had tried, the Dursley's could very easily prevent Harry from the contact with his godfather, but even that idea was repressed as the weeks progressed and the beatings got worse.

By the week of his birthday, Harry found himself covered in bruises and cuts, with possibly a few broken fingers and ribs. He wanted Sirius to come more than anything now and save him; things had never gotten this bad before. He was looking up at the roof of his cupboard now, tears falling from his eyes, when he heard his uncle scream for him.

"BOY-" Vernon yelled, practically ripping the cupboard door off its hinges, and yanking Harry out.

"W-what is it?" Harry asked, bracing himself for the blow that was sure to come. Seconds later, Harry was on the ground, an erupting pain in his head from where he had hit the stair railings.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" Vernon spit, shoving an official looking letter in front of Harry's face.

As Harry read through it, his heart gave a jolt. It was custody papers from the Ministry of Magic, stating that Harry was to move in with Sirius on his birthday. All the doubt Harry had been worried with left him as excitement grew at the prospect of finally leaving his relatives. Dumbledore had done it again, and Harry couldn't help but smile.

Clearly, that was not the answer his uncle was looking for - before Harry could react, he was being lifted by the scruff of the neck and braced against the wall, thick hands strapping around his throat and not letting go. He gasped and clawed, trying to let air enter his windpipe, to no avail.

"I want you to listen to me closely boy - you're _our_ servant. That's all you're good for, you hear? You're not leaving this place. Do you see how this feels? I could squeeze harder you know." Vernon demonstrated this idea by tightening his grip on the boy's windpipe before finally letting him fall into a choking heap on the floor. "When they get here on Wednesday, you're to tell them that you don't want to live with this convict and you are to _mean_ it. Tell them that we are great guardians and you want to stay here. If you try any funny business, I'll strangle you so quickly you won't even get to say goodbye to your precious godfather, do you hear me?"

Harry yelped as Vernon pulled him back up by his hair, the aches and pains of bruises and broken bones erupting across his body. "I SAID DO YOU HEAR ME."

"Y-yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry whispered, horror-struck.

"GOOD. NOW GET IN THERE." Vernon yelled, throwing Harry back in the cupboard, no doubt until the Ministry arrived on Wednesday.

* * *

"Sirius, stop worrying. Only one more day and Harry will be living here," Remus said, sitting down at the table beside his only remaining school friend.

Since being given his freedom, Sirius had completely devoted his life to preparing for Harry's arrival. Remus and him had bought a cottage out in the country near the Burrow, knowing that Harry's best mate lived there and wanting them to be close to each other. He also had focused on fixing his appearance, wanting to get rid of every trace of Azkaban to be able to focus more on his godson. He desperately wanted Harry to like him and like his new home, but was now nervous; Harry hadn't replied to a single letter all month.

"I know, I'm just scared Moony. What if he changed his mind? I haven't heard from him at all." Sirius looked into the caring eyes of his best mate, desperately needing reassurance on the matter.

"I highly doubt he has," Remus said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "Albus says his relatives can be very neglecting - not enough to pull him away from their blood protection, but enough to make Harry fairly miserable while he stays there."

Sirius's eyes darkened with anger, but he nodded. Now, he was just anxious to get his godson away from there so he could show him love and kindness - things the boy had apparently missed out on.

* * *

Harry woke up on the morning of Wednesday, July thirty-first, feeling very miserable. He rubbed the back of his head, noting that it was still throbbing from the impact two evenings ago when Vernon had received the ministry letter.

He knew it would be hopeless. Sirius would arrive, ready to take him away to a happier place, and Harry had to reject him; otherwise, the consequences could be severe, now that he knew what his uncle was capable of.

He heard his uncle hammering down the stairs, grumbling to himself about _freaks_ and why he wished they could leave his perfectly normal family alone. He heard him unlock the cupboard and a bright light streamed in, blinding Harry.

"Get out boy," Vernon snarled, yanking Harry up by his thick black hair. "Petunia, we need to do something about these bruises!" He yelled to his wife, who was doting on Harry's cousin.

She walked over and yanked Harry's jaw for a closer look. "Nothing some foundation won't fix. Hurry up, let's go upstairs and cover the bruises on your neck before your lot gets here."

The morning went by in a haze for Harry. Despite his many injuries, all he could think about was the heartbreak he was going to feel when he had to turn away one of the first people who had loved him.

Before he knew it, it was eleven in the morning and a loud knock resonated throughout the house. Harry bolted upright, hoping his panic when he opened the door would alert his godfather that something was wrong. But as he went to run for the door, he felt his uncle's beefy hands yank him back into a seat at the kitchen table. "Don't move," his uncle snarled, walking towards the front door.

Harry wanted to cry. He was stuck, there was no getting around it. Sirius would hate him after today, he'd never know his godfather's love or affection. He'd bring his godfather more pain after leaving Azkaban, and tears sprang to his eyes as he thought about what would happen after the Ministry left.

"Harry!" He heard Sirius yell excitedly, but knew better to look toward the door. Vernon would kill him if he didn't put on a good show.

"H-Harry?" Sirius questioned, noticing immediately something was wrong when he saw the stiff figure of his godson, staring at the ground, and his uncle looming over him.

Harry gulped. Here it was, the moment of truth. "I-I don't w-want to live with you, S-Sirius." His voice cracked and he felt panicked. He knew his godfather would see right through it, and he secretly wanted him to. He snuck a quick glance in front of him and saw two confused wizards from the ministry, Professor Lupin, and Dumbledore as well. But what really threw him off guard was that Sirius didn't look hurt at all - he looked determined.

"What did you say, Harry?" Sirius said gently, walking over towards him.

"I-I don't w-want to leave my r-relatives." Harry mumbled, pleading inwardly for Sirius to hear the pain in his voice. It worked, because he felt Sirius put his hands on his shoulders and kneel down in front of him.

"Harry," he said gently, willing him to look into his eyes. "I want you to say that to me with a straight face. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want to live with me."

Harry could feel his uncle's grip tighten on the back of his chair and knew he was going to die. He couldn't lie to Sirius's face like that - he might could have done it if it were Snape, but Sirius was different. He could practically feel the love radiating off Sirius as he looked right at him, not appearing to be hurt at all by Harry's previous responses.

"I-I can't." Harry mumbled, looking back down. He could practically feel his uncle ready to pounce but at that moment he didn't care. He knew it was hopeless anyway. "If I looked you in the eyes and said that," Harry started, a little louder than before, "then it would be a lie. And I can't lie to you."

"OH YOU'VE GOT IT COMING BOY." Harry immediately felt himself being thrown out of the chair and up against the kitchen counter, his vision blurring as he lost air from his uncle's grip on his throat. He heard audible gasps and yelling before his vision went and he was out cold.

* * *

Sirius sat down in the hospital wing and put his face in his hands. He had no idea it had been that bad - sure, he had some negative feelings about sending Harry back when he seemed so eager to move in with him, but he thought Dumbledore knew best. Even Dumbledore didn't know this time though, and the mistake really did some damage.

Sirius looked at the broken heap of his godson lying on the hospital bed in front of him, anger swelling up inside him. He tried to remember back to what happened, knowing that he and the other grown wizards in the room were quick to turn Vernon into a cockroach before he could do permanent damage to his godson. After that, things went hazy. He remembered wrapping Harry's unconscious body in his arms and sobbing, terrified that he'd lost one of the things he held most dear. He remembered Dumbledore placing a hand on his shoulder and telling him that they had to move Harry quick, that there might be a chance to save him if they could get him to the safety of Hogwarts. And of course Madam Pomfrey immediately got to work, healing just about every ailment Harry had endured; despite all this, Sirius felt immensely unsettled. He'd done this to Harry, he abandoned him when he was a baby over revenge, then left him to be cared for by those horrid relatives. He would make it up to him though, if Harry would just open his eyes.

* * *

" _The boy is weak, my faithful servant. The time will come soon for me to attack. I need his blood, no others will do. I trust you have a plan for when he returns to school?"_

" _Yes, of course master." A dark-haired man replied, bending down to kiss his robes._

Harry felt a searing pain in his scar and panicked, wanting to jerk up and scream but also feeling his immensely sore bones and weakness fighting against him. He settled for opening his eyes, letting out a low moan that caused the figure beside him to bolt upright.

"Harry! Thank goodness," Sirius said, gently grabbing for Harry's hand.

"S-Sirius? I'm alive?" Harry breathed, looking around the hospital wing.

"Of course you are puppy, did you think I'd let that bastard hurt you and get away with it?" Sirius said gently, tears springing to his eyes.

Harry flushed red. At the time, he hadn't thought about the odds against his uncle trying to kill him, all he could consider was the threat against his life. Of course Uncle Vernon couldn't have gotten away with it - there were five armed wizards standing directly in front of him. But when he had strangled him two nights prior, it seemed so real. The murderous look his uncle had given him while he fought to stay conscious was enough to make Harry believe he would willingly commit murder, no matter who was around.

 **** **"** **Harry?" Harry tilted his head to look into his godfather's kind eyes and at that moment, he burst into tears. "Oh, come here." Sirius mumbled, climbing onto the bed and pulling the crying boy into his arms. He whispered soothing words into Harry's dark hair, hugging him close and rocking back and forth. They would need to have a serious talk later, but for now, Harry needed him for comfort and Sirius was more than willing to oblige.**


	3. Childhood Reflection

Remus walked in to find Sirius laying on Harry's bed, and Harry wrapped in his arms, now asleep again. He looked to Sirius, who he could tell had been crying.

"This might be a stupid question, but how is he?" Remus asked softly, sitting in the chair that Sirius had vacated.

"Oh Moony… I just had no idea. How long do you think that went on for?" Sirius croaked, his throat still sore from crying.

"Arabella Figg was watching him constantly when he lived there. Abuse to this extent is new according to her, though she said he's always appeared smaller than he should be. He also did most of their chores for them and his bedroom was a cupboard, but we already figured that much. Nothing beyond neglect, as Albus had put it to us at the start of the summer. I'm honestly not sure what prompted them into such abuse, and I have a feeling the only way we'll really know is if Harry tells us." Lupin smiled softly, tears brimming his eyes.

Sirius looked down at his sleeping godson. From this angle, he looked peaceful and innocent, almost like the happy one year old he remembered him to be. Despite this, he knew when he opened his emerald eyes there would be nothing but a hollow pain reflected in them. "Do you think he'll tell us? I mean, I think he trusts us, but I know that it's not an easy topic to talk about." Sirius mumbled, having flashbacks from his own confrontation about his abuse and his escape to the Potter's. It took him years to open up to his best friends, and with Harry's abuse being so recent, he knew Harry would not be keen on sharing.

"He will have to Sirius, we have a strong case against the Dursleys. We need to be there for him, but we can't baby him. Justice needs to be served, and I think it will help you too. I can tell you still blame yourself for all of it." Remus said this last part slightly louder, trying to get Sirius's attention.

"I'm the reason he was there in the first place Remus… and it's just strange. How come his relatives waited until I was out of Azkaban to be so cruel? There's something more to it, and I have a strange feeling it's my doing." Sirius choked out this last part, giving in to tears that were threatening to escape.

Remus put a strong hand on his shoulder. "Sirius, it is not your fault. None of it. All of the fault resides with Voldemort and the Dursley's. Ask Harry when he wakes, I doubt he blames you either... for any of it."

Sirius nodded, not taking his eyes off Harry's sleeping form.

"So, back to getting Harry to tell us…" Remus started softly, not wanting to irritate his emotional friend.

"Right," Sirius said distantly, clearly still thinking about other things.

"You have got to remember, Sirius, that Harry's been targeted since he was born. According to Dumbledore, he's been through a lot in his first three years at Hogwarts and holds a weight upon his shoulders that no thirteen year old-"

"Fourteen." Sirius corrected absent-mindedly.

Remus smiled. He admired Sirius's devotion and love for a boy he had only just reunited with after more than a decade. "Right, Harry holds a weight that no fourteen year old should be burdened with. Dumbledore suggested that we offer Harry a way to show us how his first years went, without having to relive them in such detail. This will give us a chance to get to know him better, as well as see what we're dealing with as his guardians. If the plan works, then he might trust us more as well, and be willing to open up about his abuse."

"What is the plan then?" Sirius asked, curious. He wanted to help Harry in any way possible, but he had major doubts that Harry would want to open up so soon.

"Well, if Harry agrees, we could use a pensieve. I know he's never seen one before, and he'll be confused at first, but it might make opening up to us easier if he doesn't have to relive every single moment. Now, we can't use the pensieve for his abuse, he needs to come out to us with that. It won't help anyone, including Harry, if we just watch it happen in a memory. He needs to come to terms with it himself, then tell us. That's when we'll know he really trusts us." Remus explained, trusting Dumbledore's idea. He had used a pensieve a few times in the past, and felt that it could be very beneficial for both Harry and Sirius.

Sirius nodded. "You explain it to him when he wakes up, I'm sure he'll be confused. If you think it will help, I'm definitely willing to do it."

"Good," Remus said, relaxing in the chair to wait for Harry to wake up. "Madam Pomfrey said she's done everything she could for him **.** She said that he might still be weak and will definitely need to be put on a better diet, but that he'll be fine. Other than a few nutrient potions, our job will be to show him love, and care for him in the way that his aunt and uncle did not."

"Of course," Sirius replied simply, pulling Harry into a closer embrace.

* * *

 _Frank Bryce walked upstairs to where the strange lights were coming from to peek inside at the intruders. He knew if he got away fast enough, he could call the police._

" _Hmm, Crouch, it appears you are my only faithful servant alive. Thanks to that foolish Bones woman, I have found you and I will return to power soon. Now, is the plan at Hog-"_

" _Master, I believe there is someone outside. A muggle, perhaps." Crouch whispered, frightened his master might harm him for interrupting._

" _Right you are, Crouch. Nagini, go invite our guest inside."_

 _Frank watched in horror as a large snake approached him and the intruder in the chair began to turn, aided by the Crouch man. He screamed as a bright green light flashed across the room._

* * *

Harry attempted to shoot out of bed, a scream erupting from his lips as he thrashed against four strong arms holding him in place.

After a minute of struggling, Harry realized where he was and registered the pain erupting from his scar. He sucked in a breath as he felt the arms around him soften their hold.

"Harry," Sirius whispered, pulling him closer to him. Harry whimpered against his chest, then looked over to Remus who was smiling softly at him.

"Nightmare?" Remus asked, understanding dawning on his features.

"Uh…" Harry wondered whether or not to tell them. He didn't want them to worry, but the last time his scar had hurt, Voldemort had been near. He couldn't be in Hogwarts again, could he? Mustering up his courage, Harry nodded. "Kind of. My scar was hurting and I could… I don't know, it was weird. The last time my scar hurt, Voldemort was near me here at Hogwarts."

Remus and Sirius gave each other a look. "We need to tell Dumbledore about that," Sirius said gently.

"Right," Remus nodded. "Just know this is the safest place you can be Harry, Voldemort can't get you here."

"Well, he was in the castle my first year…" Harry mumbled, breaking eye contact with his previous professor.

Sirius tightened his grip on Harry and looked as if he wanted to ask about it, but Remus cut him off. "Actually Harry, we wanted to talk to you about that."

Sirius nodded, remembering the plan. "Right. Harry, we know you've had an abnormal three years at Hogwarts and we want to know about it. I want to know everything I missed the last thirteen years-"

"Which we know can be overwhelming and you might not necessarily want to talk about it all. So, we've got a solution." Remus interrupted, waiting for Harry's response.

Harry sat up, leaving Sirius's embrace. "Okay, what's the solution?"

Remus and Sirius both looked pleased that Harry so readily agreed. "A pensieve. It's a magical artifact that allows you to choose the memories you want to share with us and we can watch them, as if we had been there too. You can come with us if you would like and watch. There are three things I ask of you though." Remus paused, waiting to see if Harry had any opposition thus far. When the boy stared at him, he continued. "Please, don't leave any of your childhood treatment at the Dursley's out, and try to avoid changing any of the memories from your first three years at Hogwarts. This will help us get to know you better and I think you'll find it soothing as well. Finally, don't include this past summer in the memories you want to share. I know it might seem easier to just show us what happened, but you need to come to terms with it."

Harry's breath caught. He hadn't even considered this past summer, and he really didn't want Remus and Sirius to know anything about it. His childhood memories were one thing; some neglect and yelling, but nothing Harry couldn't handle. He really didn't want his godfather and his old professor to see him being strangled though, and he definitely didn't want to be the one to tell them about it. However, it seemed as if they weren't concerned with it right now, so he simply nodded to the plan with the pensieve, and decided to revisit the abuse problem later.

Remus and Sirius both smiled at him. "Great, Albus will let us borrow his and we'll start tomorrow."

* * *

"Okay Harry, just relax and think about the memories you want to share. We'll start with your childhood and your first year of Hogwarts." Remus said gently, placing the tip of his wand to Harry's temple.

They were sitting in the corner of Dumbledore's office, surrounding the pensieve. Remus dropped the silvery mist into the pensieve and Harry watched it swirl around, mystified.

He was taken out of his reverie by Sirius. "Ready?" Sirius whispered, gripping his shoulder. Harry nodded, and all of the sudden, he felt himself being tipped into the memory of his fourth birthday. He landed in the Dursley's living room, Remus on his left and Sirius on his right, watching.

" _B-but Uncle, it's my birthday. And I-I'm scared I'll burn myself again." Little Harry was whimpering as his Uncle Vernon pushed him to his step stool in front of the stove, forcing the small boy to cook bacon for the family._

" _Freaks like you don't get birthday celebrations," his uncle snarled, pushing his little face dangerously close to the frying pan. "Now get to work, we're taking Dudley to the zoo and breakfast needs to be done when he wakes up."_

"They… they didn't even get you a present?" Sirius asked, anger welling up inside him.

"One time I got a coat hanger," Harry shrugged. He was long used to this neglect and even expected it from his aunt and uncle.

"But, you were four… they wanted you to cook for them?" Remus asked, bewildered.

Harry just nodded. "Yeah, I've cooked for them as long as I can remember."

They watched as the little Harry overcooked the bacon, and then was thrown back into his cupboard without so much as a piece of toast. The memories started swirling around again and they landed in the Dursley's bathroom, Aunt Petunia shaving all of Harry's hair off.

" _B-b-but I like my hair," little Harry whimpered, watching the black locks fall to the ground._

" _Well until you can learn to control it like a normal boy, it's staying like this." She hissed, throwing him out of the bathroom._

They watched Petunia and Vernon have a meltdown the next morning when all of Harry's hair had grown back completely. Sirius and Remus chuckled at first, but then began to frown when they heard the insults his aunt and uncle were spewing at him. The memories swirled, and they were then on the playground at Harry's school, watching Dudley and his gang chase Harry around on the playground.

" _Come here you little freak," Dudley sneered, gaining on his smaller cousin. Harry was practically in hysterics while running, but then all of the sudden, it stopped. He was sitting on top of the school building, looking quite bewildered with himself as teachers around him began to panic._

This time, Sirius let out a bark of a laugh and turned to Harry. "What did you think of that when it happened?"

"I honestly didn't know, I was too worried about getting in trouble to think on it. I guess I thought a bird grabbed me and flew me up there or something." Harry couldn't help but laugh himself. It really was crazy sounding. The memories swirled again, and they were back at the Dursley's, but this time in the front yard, watching a younger Harry run from his aunt's dogs.

" _That's right, get him Ripper!" Marge yelled, watching the boy frantically try to climb the tree. "Dogs can always spot a good for nothing boy you know, it's like they have a sixth sense. They can sense fear, that's why Ripper's going after him, he knows he's a bad egg."_

 _Vernon Dursley laughed at his nephew and turned back to his sister, "Right you are, Marge! He's proven to be the biggest waste of space, don't know why we didn't send him straight to the orphanage when we had the chance."_

"What a fat, ugly, b-" Sirius began, cut off by a look from Remus. He sighed. "Harry, I'm so sorry. I don't think anybody from our world, even Dumbledore, knew about this kind of treatment."

"Don't be sorry, I could handle all of this." Harry shrugged, looking back and forth at the two men. "Anyway, that sums up my childhood fairly well, maybe we can move on to my first year?"

 **** **Remus and Sirius nodded sadly, and then pulled themselves up and out of the pensieve to prepare for the next bout of memories.**


	4. First Year Reflection

-Sorry it's been a couple of days. I'm a college student and things get crazy, but I'm planning on keeping this story going as long as possible! Thanks for sticking around!

"So Harry, I imagine your first year at Hogwarts was full of pleasant surprises, especially after the rotten childhood those Dursley's gave you." Sirius said, looking expectantly at his godson.

"Er-sure, I guess… I mean, there were definitely a lot of surprises, and I was probably the happiest I had ever been in my life. I had met some great friends and was the youngest seeker in a century, but-"

"THE WHAT?" Sirius's expression was a mixture of pride and nostalgia. "Harry, that's amazing. James would be so proud of you."

Harry looked down at his shoes to hide the blush rising to his cheeks. "Thanks Sirius." He whispered, before looking up to meet Lupin's eyes. "You guys ready to see?"

They both smiled. "Absolutely," Sirius said, ruffling his hair affectionately, something Harry was not quite used to.

"Okay, but before we begin I need to warn you, first year wasn't really a peaceful year either-"

"Harry, first year is always full of excitement. I'm sure it was great, no matter what happened." Lupin said reassuringly. Harry fleetingly thought that Lupin and Sirius didn't quite understand, but didn't feel like going into too much detail, so he simply allowed them to extract his memories from his first year and watched as it turned into a swirling mist in the pensieve.

Next thing he knew, the ground was being tilted, and the three of them were falling back to Number 4, Privet Drive.

After another less than comfortable landing on the couch, they watched as Vernon yelled for his young nephew to collect the mail. Present Harry flinched at his uncle's aggressiveness, despite it being only a memory. Sirius noticed this and immediately gripped his godson's shoulder in silent support.

They watched as young Harry walked back in the room, smiling to himself over the first post he had ever received and handing the remaining post to his beefy uncle.

 _Dudley runs and grabs Harry's letter out of his grasp. "DAD, LOOK! Harry's got a letter!"_

" _Hey, give it back! It's mine," Harry shouted, chasing his cousin while his uncle rips the letter out of Dudley's grasp, laughing to himself. "Your's? Who'd be writing to you?"_

They watched as Vernon's laughter immediately died and he looked frighteningly at his young nephew. The memory shifted to an old house out in the middle of the ocean. "Harry, what is this place?" Lupin asked, staring specifically at Harry laying on the floor while his cousin slept on the couch.

They watched as Harry drew a birthday cake in the dirt and Sirius, still grasping his godson's shoulder, gave it a squeeze.

Soon Hagrid bursts through the door of the small house and Sirius and Remus both chuckled. "Dumbledore sent Hagrid? Of all people? Blimey, I know he trusts him, but I'm sure it scared you and your relatives senseless" Lupin said.

"If you wait a few more minutes you can watch him scar Dudley for life." Harry said with a small smile.

" _Mind, I haven't seen you since you was a baby, Harry, but you're a bit more a long than I expected. Particularly 'round the middle!" Hagrid said, smiling down at Dudley._

 _Dudley was not smiling. "I-I'm not Harry."_

 _Harry stepped from around the corner, "I am."_

 _Hagrid turned to Harry. "Oh, well of course you are! Got something for ya. 'Fraid I might have sat on it at some point! I imagine that it will taste fine just the same. Ahh, baked it myself, words and all."_

" _Thank you," Harry said, taking the cake._

" _It's not everyday that your young man turns eleven, now is it?" Hagrid said kindly. Hagrid then sat on the couch and shot flames into the fireplace. Harry and his relatives gaped at him and Harry placed the cake down on the floor. Dudley dug in, never missing a chance to enjoy some type of pastry._

" _Excuse me, who are you?" Harry said politely to the half-giant._

The trio watched as Hagrid explained to Harry about the wizarding world and his parents, stopping a few times to yell at the Dursley's for keeping so much from Harry. Sirius's grip tightened on Harry's shoulder when Harry yelled at the Dursley's for telling him his parents died in a car crash. "Those good for nothing-"

"Padfoot," Lupin said warningly, though he too seemed angry at the Dursley's for their lie.

Then the scene shifted, and Harry was standing outside his aunt and uncle's car. They were laughing at him for having to be dropped off at Platform 9 ¾. "What!" Sirius said indignantly. "The number of times Petunia went with Lily to be dropped off at the platform, she knew exactly how to get there. Despicable old…" This time Remus didn't stop him from cursing, but instead mumbled his own incoherent speech at Harry's treatment. Harry smiled at their behavior, then turned his attention to the group of redhead's walking towards his eleven year old self.

" _Come on! Platform 9 ¾ this way! All right Percy, you first." Mrs. Weasley shouted to her group._

 _Harry shook his head in disbelief as the oldest of the group disappeared through the barrier._

" _E-excuse me, could you show me how to-"_

" _How to get on the platform? Yes, not to worry dear, it's Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well. Now, all you've got to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Best to do it at a run if you're nervous."_

Sirius and Lupin smiled at Harry's innocence, as well as how Harry met his best mate. Then the scene shifted to the Great Hall and the sorting ceremony.

" _Harry Potter," McGonagall announces, the great hall quieting as she does so._

" _Hmm… difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage I see, not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh yes, and a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?" The sorting hat croaked out._

" _Not slytherin. Not slytherin," Harry whispered, eyes closed._

" _Not slytherin eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here, in your head. And Slytherin would help you on your way to greatness! There's no doubt about that! No? Well, if you're sure, better be… GRYFFINDOR!"_

Sirius barked a laugh and ruffled Harry's hair. "Ha! Grew up with muggles and still knew he needed be in Gryffindor."

"There's nothing wrong with Slytherin you know, Harry. Your father and mother would have been proud of you no matter the house," Lupin said, smiling kindly.

"I-I know… but after meeting Draco for the first time and seeing that he was in Slytherin, I got a very bad impression." Harry mumbled, looking down.

"Hey kid, my whole family was in Slytherin. They considered me to be the bad egg, I suppose, but I embraced the Gryffindor pride quickly." Sirius said with a wink. Harry smiled at him and then continued to watch as the scene changed again to the first day of transfiguration.

Sirius laughed at the bewildered looks on Ron and Harry's faces when they found out McGonagall was an animagus. "I remember the first time we saw her do the transformation. She was probably one of my favorite professors." Sirius said, smiling nostalgically.

"McGonagall?" Harry questioned. "But-but she's so strict. And it sounds like you weren't quite keen on following the rules yourself."

Remus snorted and Sirius shot him a dirty look before explaining. "Yeah, but with all my detentions I got to know her fairly well. By our seventh year I think she almost appreciated the pranks we played, we were adding humor during a time that almost no one laughed."

Harry nodded, not wanting to think about Voldemort or the previous war at the moment, and watched as the memory shifted again.

Next, they were in the dungeons, watching Harry's first day of potions, in which Sirius uses choice words to describe Snape's treatment of Harry. At this, Remus smacks Sirius in the back of the head and the two begin quarreling, Harry laughing at their theatrics. "You know, maybe Snape was right in the Shrieking Shack. You two do fight like an old married couple."

Remus and Sirius looked at each other and smiled, then turned their attention back to the changing scene. They were now outside, watching Harry chase down Malfoy on a broom to retrieve Neville's remembral.

"Blimey Harry, I knew you could fly when I saw you that one day last year, but this was the first time you had even touched a broom! And- wait, is that McGonagall?"

Sirius was doubled over in a fit of laughter when he realized that Harry became the youngest seeker in a century by completely breaking the rules and McGonagall, of all people, was the one to choose him for that position. "The look on your face when she caught you, I can only imagine what you were thinking!"

His laughter stopped however, and his expression turned from joy to- was that sadness? Nostalgia?- when Hermione showed Harry's father's name on the Quidditch plaque.

"That's right, it is in your blood. James would have been so proud of you, it's exactly what he wanted. In fact, I don't know what he would have done if his son had not played quidditch at some point during his time at Hogwarts," Remus said with a chuckle.

"I gave you your first broom you know," Sirius said, beaming down at his godson. "I knew James would want you to start young, but that broom proved to be a little more dangerous than I had expected-apparently you broke a vase."

Harry snorted, but looked up at his godfather with the same familial love mirrored in his own eyes. "Really?" He whispered, wanting to know more about his parents and his time with them before their murder.

"Oh yes, I'm sure I still have the letter and picture from Lily lying around Grimmauld Place somewhere. I won't take you there, but when we're finished here I'll go and search for it for you. Feel free to ask me, or Remus for that matter, anything about your parents. We would both love to tell you all about what brave and wonderful people they were."

Moisture began to cloud Harry's vision, but the sweet moment was interrupted when the eleven year old students ran for the third floor corridor that was roped off. "Didn't Dumbledore say that corridor was out of bounds?" Remus asked, his brow knitting in thought.

"Just watch, you'll see why it's out of bounds," Harry mumbled exasperatingly.

Sirius and Remus gasp at the encounter with Fluffy, the three-headed dog guarding the Sorcerer's Stone. "Wha-MERLIN HARRY. When the teachers said that you had a knack for finding trouble, I thought they meant a detention or two every so often. Not this!" Remus exclaimed, jumping out of the way of the running eleven year olds, despite it being a memory.

"This is only the beginning of the first year, just wait until you see the rest." Harry said, a wicked grin playing at his lips.

However, Sirius and Remus were not grinning. "What do you mean?" Sirius mumbled sheepishly. "I just got you back Harry, I don't need to have a heart attack before I can enjoy spending sometime with my godson."

"I mean, I could give you a quick summary if you'd prefer. It's a very long story though." Harry said.

"At least give me a hint when something really bad is about to happen, how about that?" Sirius smiled and ruffled Harry's hair.

"Okay, well, this is your hint," Harry mumbled, amusement playing on his lips as he watched the familiar scene of Ron and him running into a restroom on the third landing, looking for Hermione.

Sirius and Remus watched in horror as the eleven year olds fought a grown troll and left completely unscathed. "How-why… why was Hermione Granger in there in the first place? I thought you guys considered her to be the 'brightest witch of her age'?"

"She is, I forgot to include that part though. That was before Ron, her and I were really friends. Ron was a little mean to her and she left for the bathroom crying. We didn't see her all day until we realized she was still gone when the troll was about, so we went to make sure she was okay. That's when the troll showed up. We've been friends ever since," Harry said, a smile pulling at his lips.

"Okay, okay. First, couldn't you make friends in a less dangerous way? For old Siri's sake?"

Harry chuckled at his godfather's weary expression, then shook his head. "I'm the boy-who-lived, I don't think I'm meant to live a quiet life at this point. You sure you want to see more? I can always give you a summary of everything. Second year gets worse if I'm being quite honest."

Sirius looked at his godson in shock for a second before shaking his head. "I'll keep trying to watch, but no promises on how long I'll last. Gosh, a three-headed dog and a fully-grown troll? What's next!"

Over the next few minutes, different significant memories from Harry's first year flooded their senses. Sirius and Remus both seemed to get emotional while watching Harry in front of the Mirror of Erised; however, they soon tensed upon watching Harry and Hermione attempt to get rid of the baby dragon, then sent to detention in the forbidden forest.

"Harry-what is that thing drinking the unicorn's blood? That's vile, one of the dumbest decisions you can make as a wizard in my opinion." Sirius mumbled, a look of disgust covering his sunken, once-handsome face.

"I suppose I should go ahead and tell you so you don't freak out when we get to that part. That thing drinking the blood is Professor Quirrel, being possessed by Voldemort-DON'T FREAK OUT." Harry said, grabbing his godfather by the shoulders and looking up at him. "I'm currently here, touching your arms and looking you in the eye, meaning that no matter what you see in these memories or how dangerous the circumstances, it worked out for the better."

Sirius nodded at him while trying to calm himself down. Voldemort? With Harry? The thought chilled him to the bone.

Soon though, they were smiling and laughing again, watching Harry catch the snitch in his mouth for the first time.

As more memories flashed by, Harry realized it was almost time to give his godfather yet another warning, and probably the most important one from his first year. "S-Sirius? Don't freak out, but this is about the be quite the grand finale. You'll see what I mean, but try and stay calm please. You too, Remus. Remember, I'm standing right beside you guys, so no matter what appears to happen, I come out fine."

They nodded meekly and watched as the trio approached the third corridor, then went through each test set up by the professors to reach the stone.

"Okay, not to accuse anyone from Hogwarts, but how come these tests, designed to stop bloody Voldemort, were bested by three first years? I'm proud of you three for handling the situation so well, but lets face it, it's a bit odd." Sirius said, looking questioningly at his godson.

Harry nodded, "I've thought about that too… but Ron is the _best_ at wizard's chess, and Hermione's brilliant. I wouldn't have been able to do it without them."

"You're brilliant too, Harry." Remus mumbled and Sirius nodded. "Your courage is abundant and your flying skills are impeccable, they couldn't have done it alone either. Together, you three are quite a force to be reckoned with."

The kind conversation came to a halt when Sirius screeched and pointed at the new scene in front of them. "Harry-you met Voldemort AGAIN?"

"I told you it was quite the grand finale, Sirius." Harry said, looking to the ground to avoid his godfather's worried gaze.

"I-I can't watch this." Sirius said. The man, who usually looked put together and strong, seemed to be quivering at the thought of his young godson facing Voldemort.

"Sirius, it's almost over. You know this is important." Remus said encouragingly.

Sirius nodded, but looked away as Voldemort attempted to choke the young boy. Harry too flinched at the contact and subconsciously rubbed the back of his neck.

Remus, noticing the effect it was having on the two, decided that Sirius was right. They had a fairly good idea of what Harry's first year was like, and Sirius got to watch all of Harry's milestones his first year. He felt it safe to move on to second year. With that, he grabbed Harry and Sirius's shoulders, and tugged them out of the pensieve.

* * *

"Wow, Harry, I don't know what to say." Sirius mumbled, still staring at the ground, his expression shocked.

"I told you it wasn't exactly a peaceful year. I learned a lot about who I was, who my family was, and what Voldemort was capable of, so I think it was a pretty successful year." Harry smiled reassuringly at him, trying to comfort his distressed godfather.

Sirius nodded again, but didn't respond the way he usually did.

"So, er, do you guys want to move on to second year?" Harry said sheepishly, not wanting to rush but also eager to show them more.

"For Sirius's sake, why don't you give us a quick summary before we begin. That way we have an idea of what to expect.

Harry began to explain the petrification, the basilisk, and the Chamber of Secrets incidents to his two new guardians. If possible, the color from Sirius's face drained more. "Let me get this straight. First year was a three headed dog, a dragon, the forbidden forest, and a face-to-face encounter with Lord Voldemort. Second year involved a giant snake, an ancient chamber, another Voldemort possession? And you stopped it _all?"_

Harry nodded and looked down at his feet, waiting for the proper scolding. He comforted himself after a few minutes with the idea that Sirius was just trying to calm down and he wasn't angry with him. "Third year was the worst though, Harry said with a playful grin. "Did you hear about the mass murderer that was after me?"


	5. Little Talks

_-Okay, so I wasn't going to write for a couple of days but I couldn't sleep so why not. This is a short chapter, but I really like it. I think it's an important bonding moment, but I'll let you decide for yourself. Thanks for the support!-_

Sirius stared at Harry for a while, worried he might be attacked at any second and taken away from him again. Though he knew he was being overprotective, he couldn't help himself; his godson had been through more in three years than many grown wizards had in their lifetime. Not to mention, he had endured abuse and neglect throughout his childhood, and yet he was one of the kindest and brightest wizards Sirius had ever seen. It was truly astounding to him.

"Hey, take a picture. It'll last longer." Harry said to him with a small grin, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Sirius barked out a laugh and leaned across the table to push his godson playfully. "I'm just worried about you kid, I couldn't even imagine going through the stuff you did at the age of eleven."

Harry smiled at the comment then looked back down at his food. They had taken a break after watching his second year through the pensieve to get lunch in the Great Hall. Sirius continued to freak out during it, despite Harry's thorough warning before they began. It was almost funny to Harry, watching Sirius panic and cry at his expense; this was, after all, the man believed to have killed thirteen people, as well as the classic "bad boy" at Hogwarts during his time. Here he was, the almighty Sirius black, screaming like a distressed mother as he watched Harry fight a giant snake. The only thing that kept Harry from pointing this out, was that he knew Sirius had every right to worry when he saw those memories; in a way, it was comforting to see that Azkaban hadn't completely destroyed his emotional health. _And also comforting to finally have someone care about you,_ a voice in the back of Harry's head reminded him.

Harry shook himself out of his own reverie when Lupin walked up. "Sirius, you have to eat! Starving yourself isn't going to do much for Harry, now is it?"

"Moony, I'm not hungry." Sirius said, shooting his friend a glare before pushing the plate away.

Harry then realized how gravely his memories had affected Sirius. "Sirius, I'm really okay-"

"I know you are. It's just, I don't know Harry. I was entrusted by your parents to care for you, and look at what a shoddy job I've done." Sirius mumbled, meeting Harry's gaze.

Harry felt a pang in his heart and reached out to grab his godfather's forearm. "You-you don't realize it, but you saved me. And I'm not just talking about Uncle Vernon. When I was little, I hated the Dursley's. You saw what they were like earlier - and all I wanted, more than anything in the world, was for someone, _anyone_ , to take me away, to care about me and give me a home. For a while, I thought it was Hagrid, and Hogwarts was my home. And in some ways, it is. But now you have come, and… I don't know how to explain it but-"

"Harry," Sirius interrupted, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. " _Thank you."_

Harry was taken aback. "Thank me? For what?"

Lupin smiled at the two knowingly, then stood up. "When you guys are ready, head up to the Headmaster's Office and we'll look through third year memories."

Harry nodded as Lupin walked away, then turned back to his godfather. "Why are you thanking me? I should be thanking you for… for wanting me."

"Who wouldn't want you Harry? And I'm not saying that because you're the 'boy-who-lived.' I'm saying it because you're kind, smart, compassionate, brave, and one of the greatest people I have ever met. You have some of the best characteristics of your mother and father and you wear them well. You're worth so much, Harry, especially to me."

Now it was Harry's turn to look away, as tears began to fall down his own cheeks. "No one's ever said that to me." He whispered, trying to calm down enough to look his godfather in the eye. However, what happened next surprised Harry so much that he forgot about his embarrassment for crying. He felt strong arms lift him into a standing position, then engulf him in a hug that practically radiated love and care. Harry couldn't help himself; he began to cry, letting all his pent up devastation from the Dursley's out against his godfather's robes. He felt Sirius rub circles on his back, and he sobbed harder, taking comfort in the fact that nobody was around to notice his breakdown.

When he had finally calmed down enough to talk without his voice cracking, he looked up at his godfather, who was smiling kindly back down at him. "Yes?" Sirius teased, not releasing his grip on his godson.

"You never answered my question - why are you thanking me?" Harry whispered.

"Harry, it's honestly I guess a matter of 'who saved who.' You seem to believe I saved you, but I beg to differ. You give my life a purpose. I lost two of my best school friends and was left with an immense amount of guilt during my time rotting away in Azkaban. When I found out Pettigrew was going to be _near_ you, I realized I was meant for more than just living a miserable life seeking revenge. You saved me Harry, you gave me a purpose, and I love you with all that I have for allowing me to see that. Not to mention, I heard you did a pretty impressive patronus to stop the dementors from giving me the kiss that night. Speaking of which, I'd like to see that in person. You think you could spare the memory?" Sirius said with a smile, gesturing towards the Headmaster's office.

Harry nodded, and fell into step beside his godfather as they left the Great Hall.


	6. Third Year Reflection

_-I'm on a roll, so here's another chapter. I'm not sure this spark of creation will last, but I fully intend to keep writing the story!-_

Remus looked up at the two and smiled as they walked in; Sirius had an arm around Harry's shoulders and they both seemed more relaxed and content than they had been at lunch. "So, are we ready to look at third year?"

Harry nodded and sat down across from Remus, and set to concentrating on the memories. Remus tapped his wand to Harry's temple, then slowly extracted the memories and placed them into the pensieve. When he was finished, he smiled and said, "Okay, set then?"

Sirius placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and they tilted in, landing back at the Dursley's house yet again.

"That vile woman again? Is this the one you blew up, Harry?" Sirius asked, turning to him with a sly smile.

Harry nodded shyly and then turned to watch as his aunt began to explain to Petunia about how Harry was a "bad egg."

" _What did his father do?" Marge asked, turning to Petunia._

" _N-nothing, he-he was unemployed." Petunia said, feigning confidence._

" _Hm, probably a drunk too."_

" _He was not." Young Harry said, turning to face his relatives._

" _What did you say boy-" Marge said, being cut off by the glass that had exploded in her hand._

"Why that good for nothing-"

"Sirius," Lupin said warningly as he turned towards Harry. "Harry, did you mean to do that to her?"

"Just wait, it gets worse," Harry mumbled, looking down with a small smile playing against his lips. "And no, I didn't _mean_ to do it necessarily. I was so angry, and I guess I wasn't thinking straight. I'm too old for accidental magic, so I guess that couldn't have been it, right?"

"Well, if it was not accidental magic, it's pretty impressive that you did that without a wand," Lupin noted, turning back to the memory to see Marge continuing her conversation.

" _You can't blame yourself, Petunia. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there's going to be something wrong with the pup."_

" _SHUT UP. SHUT UP." Harry yelled, watching his relatives horror-struck eyes as his aunt began to balloon in front of them._

Sirius started laughing uncontrollably, and even Remus chuckled as his aunt began to float away and Harry ran for it. "She-she had it coming," Sirius said through his laughter.

Harry smiled, glad that his mortifying moment could be seen as humorous now. They continued to watch as Harry walked down the street, then sat down across from a play ground.

Lupin gasped when he saw Sirius approach Harry. "Sirius, that was foolish. You almost got him run over by the knight bus."

"I just… wanted to see him. That was all, just make sure he was alright." Sirius said with a shrug, looking away.

Lupin didn't say anything, but put a hand on his friend's shoulder as the memory swirled away and onto the train.

" _There's something moving out there," Ron said as the train window frosted over._

The trio watched as the dementor came aboard, and then heard the awful screaming of Harry's mother, pleading with Voldemort to spare her son. Remus gasped and Sirius held Harry's shoulder with a death grip, watching as the memory went blank, and then was restored as Harry woke up from his unconsciousness. They watched as Lupin gave Harry chocolate and explained what the creature was. Then the memory switched again, and went to Harry's first day of divination.

" _My dear-" Trelawny gasped, throwing the cup back on the table. "You have… the grim."_

"That old bat," Sirius said with a chuckle. "I didn't take divination for obvious reasons. All of the professors, even the ones before Trelawny, were pretty out there."

"Well, she actually did make a real prediction and I witnessed it," Harry said, looking towards his godfather. "You'll see, I was scared out of my wits when it happened."

Sirius nodded, and they watched as the scene changed to Lupin's first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "Professor Moony, look at you!" Sirius said, turning to nudge his friend. Lupins face had gone slightly red, but he smiled.

The mood shifted quickly, however, when Harry was stopped from fighting the boggart. "Why did you do that, Remus?" Sirius asked, looking to him questioningly.

This time Harry answered, "I thought the same thing. He thought it was going to be Voldemort, but I wasn't thinking about that… I was most scared of the dementors." Harry mumbled, looking down at his shoelaces.

Sirius gave him a knowing look and put an arm around his shoulders again. "They're foul creatures, Harry, there's nothing to be ashamed of."

Harry nodded, and looked back at the now changing memory, watching as he flew around at the first quidditch match of the season. They watched as the dementors came, and Sirius gasped as Harry fell off his broom. "You know, it didn't look nearly as scary when I was in my dog form."

"I'm just glad Dumbledore stopped me before I hit the ground too hard, it could have been messy." Harry said with a smile.

"I don't even want to think about it," Sirius said with a shudder.

The memory changed again, this time to Harry and Lupin meeting during one of the Hogsmeade visits that Harry wasn't permitted to attend.

" _Professor, you could teach me. You stopped that one on the train."_

" _Well, Harry, I don't pretend to be an expert, but maybe I should teach you. It seems the dementors have taken a liking to you." Lupin said, smiling kindly at him._

The memory switched again, this time to Christmas morning when Harry got the Firebolt. "What? McGonagall took it away?" Sirius said exasperatedly.

Harry nodded. "I wasn't happy about it, but I suppose I can see where she was coming from. Who knows what horrors you would inflict on my broom?"

Sirius chuckled and turned back as the memory switched again. Harry walked towards Hogsmeade under his invisibility cloak, only to be stopped by the twins.

" _What are you doing?" Harry yelled as the cloak was yanked off of him._

" _Harry, we want to help you. Your needs are greater than ours, so you should have this little beauty." Fred said, smiling as he handed a blank bit of parchment over._

"So that's how you got that map," Lupin said with a smirk. I had always wondered whether you had found it in Filch's office or gotten it in some other way."

"Yeah, gotta love Fred and George," Harry said with a smile as the memory changed to him fighting Malfoy under the invisibility cloak.

Sirius was laughing as he watched Malfoy's terrified face when Harry came up behind him, then laughed harder when the cloak accidentally slipped off Harry's head, revealing him.

"Gosh kid, you can't just have a peaceful day, can you?" Sirius said as he ruffled his hair.

Harry smiled but then looked down at his shoes again. "Well, this day actually got a lot worse if you can believe it."

They watched as Harry listened under the cloak to Hagrid, The Minister, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Rosmerta discuss Sirius and Harry. Sirius frowned, then turned to Harry. "That's not how I would have wanted you to find out. I know you were probably devastated."

"I hope that explains why I tried to kill you that night," Harry said with a smile. "I'm glad I didn't though."

Sirius chuckled. "I'm glad you didn't either. You would have never gotten to appreciate one of my jokes."

Remus snorted, then said, "Believe me, Sirius, he could live happily without them."

Sirius swatted at his friend, but then turned back to the morphing memory, which showed Lupin teaching Harry to cast a patronus. Then the memory swirled again, and Harry was being confronted by Snape for walking around the castle at night.

" _You will never guess what Malfoy saw in Hogsmeade, Potter. He saw your head. What was your head doing in Hogsmeade? None of you should be there. Turn out your pockets."_

They watched as Snape found the map and then Lupin went to save Harry.

"I think I was a little hard on you here, Harry. I'm sorry, I was just disappointed in your behavior. You're so quick to investigate something, or save someone else, it seems like you don't think much about your own well-being," Lupin said, watching the memory of himself lecturing Harry on sneaking around.

"I think we might need to have a talk about that in the near future," Sirius said, looking down at his godson.

Harry looked up at the two of them, then darted his eyes back to the memory. He really didn't want to have that conversation with them; it would give them more insight to the Dursley's neglect, and he knew they already wanted him to speak of his abuse. He would refuse of course; yes, he did trust them, but reliving the memories were too painful and absolutely mortifying.

Sirius and Remus shared a knowing glance, then watched as the memory shifted back to the divination classroom, where Harry was taking his exam. They watched in horror as Professor Trelawney gave her cryptic prediction, and Harry ran off. Then the memory swirled to Hagrid's cabin, where the three of them had come to support Hagrid during Buckbeak's execution. As the sickle came down and the kids ran off, Sirius growelled. I can't believe they did that to that poor creature, and all because of that spoiled Malfoy kid."

The memory swirled again, and they watched as Harry and Hermione walked the tunnel towards the Shrieking Shack to save Ron.

"You know Sirius, you didn't have to be so dramatic. 'Only one will die tonight,' why couldn't you have just told him you wanted the rat?" Lupin said with a small chuckle.

"By this point I just wanted to act, then explain later - luckily Harry got in the way here and stalled long enough for you to find us." Sirius chuckled as he watched Harry pin him to the ground and hold the wand against his throat. "You realize now that I would never hurt you, right pup?" He asked, turning to his godson.

Harry nodded, then returned his gaze to the memory. "I don't think I could have killed you anyway. I don't think I could kill anyone, for that matter."

Sirius ruffled his hair and they watched as Lupin joined them inside the shack.

"You know, I can see why you guys were worried. It looked pretty bad when I hugged Sirius and he hadn't even offered you a proper explanation." Lupin said, watching the memory.

They watched as Snape joined, then was knocked unconscious. Then, after Peter was chained up, the trio followed the strange group out towards the castle. Lupin changed into his werewolf form, but was able to maintain his head and take Peter up to the castle.

On the way to Hogwarts, hundreds of demeanors surrounded them, trying to find Sirius Black among them. Sirius immediately fell to the ground with cries of despair, and Ron and Hermione were not coping much better. They watched as the wolf Lupin nudged the younger Harry. Then, Harry yelled "Expecto Patronum," and a great, white stag erupted from his wand, sending the dementors away with ease.

"Moony..." Sirius breathed out. "You didn't tell me... his patronus..." Harry beamed up at his godfather and turned back to the memory where the group was waking up and returning to their mission of turning Pettigrew in to Dumbledore.

"And, I believe that is where this story ends." Lupin said, pulling the others out from the pensieve. "Now Harry, how did you like doing this?"

Harry nodded apprehensively, knowing what was coming next. "I'm glad you guys could see what my life has been like."

"I'm glad I could see it too, although I would prefer this upcoming year to be a bit more peaceful. Maybe I should have bought a house near Hogsmeade, you get in more trouble than your dad and I combined!" Sirius said, a smile playing at his lips.

Harry smiled back, then looked down at the ground.

"Harry," Lupin said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "There's one more memory we're missing. We don't want to see it though… we need you to tell us. Do you think you can do that?"

Harry's heart skipped a beat. He knew it was coming, but he hoped it would be at a time he could avert the conversation; he didn't expect them to want to know so soon. He couldn't tell them, he just couldn't. They would know what a weakling he truly was, and he didn't want to disappoint his godfather. He wouldn't be able to live with himself.

He continued to stare at the ground, hoping the silence would alert Remus and Sirius that he didn't want to talk right now. Instead, Remus gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Harry, I'm sorry, but this is not optional. We need to know what happened to you." Sirius would not meet Harry's eyes, and Harry felt a lump form in his throat. He could tell, Sirius was disappointed already and he hadn't even heard the memory yet. Beginning to panic, Harry did the one thing he knew to do - he ran.


	7. Guidance and Love

_-And again, like I said, I'm on a roll. This will probably be it for today though!-_

"Harry!" Sirius yelled, jumping up to chase after him, Remus at his heels. When they reached the bottom of the staircase from the headmaster's office, they looked in all directions. "It's like he just disappeared, did he have the cloak on him?"

"I didn't see it, all his stuff should have been delivered to our house after we got him from the Dursley's." Remus said, panting and searching frantically down the halls. "What do you think made him run like that? He looked as if he was worried we were going to attack him."

Sirius frowned. "I don't think he was worried about that. When-when you guys confronted me about my own parents, I panicked too, remember? I tried to run, but there were three of you and you blocked the door. I was in hysterics. It's hard when you have a secret and are not ready to share it. He might be ashamed, I know I had been."

Remus gave his friend a comforting look and nodded. "Then maybe, Sirius, you should be the one to talk to him first. You can relate to what he went through, and he seems to trust you most."

Noting the bitterness in his friend's voice, Sirius smiled at him. "He trusts you too, Moony, but you heard Dumbledore. Godparents and godchildren have a special bond, I think that's probably why he trusted me so quickly. I mean, what other reason did he have to trust me? Two months ago he thought I was a blood-thirsty murderer."

Lupin nodded. "I still think you should be the one to talk to him. If I find him first, I'll call you over."

Once they had agreed, the two set off in different directions to search the castle.

* * *

They had been searching for an hour, and neither had heard word from the other that Harry had been found. Lupin was starting to panic himself; he was worried he'd pushed the boy too quickly to share, but he knew it was very important for Harry to explain if he wanted justice to come to the Dursley's.

He ran past the one-eyed witch statue, then came to an immediate halt. His werewolf senses allowed him exceptional hearing, and there was no mistaking the crying coming from one of the secret tunnels the marauder's had discovered. "Of course," Lupin whispered, stepping up to the statue to listen. He sent a patronus out to Sirius, alerting him to Harry's hiding spot, then stood there to wait. He didn't want Harry to leave, but he also didn't want to disturb him until Sirius came to talk. He was sure Harry would respond better to his godfather.

A few minutes later, Sirius came running over, panting. "Where is he, Moony?" He whispered, eyeing the statue.

Lupin nodded towards it, then stood aside as Sirius tapped his wand against the statue. "Harry?" Sirius said, loud enough to alert the boy he was entering, but also with a gentleness as to not frighten him.

Regardless of the tone, Harry jumped, then whimpered as he prepared himself for his godfather's disappointment. He was fairly sure he wouldn't be sent back to the Dursley's, but he hated ruining his relationship with Sirius before it even really began.

Sirius nodded for Moony to follow him and close the passageway, but Remus stepped back out, adamant that Sirius do this himself.

"Harry?" Sirius said again, this time at a whisper.

Harry shook with silent sobs, but then looked up. "Go ahead, say it. The 'boy-who-lived' can't even protect himself against a muggle. It's ridiculous, especially after watching everything I faced here. And-and, you wouldn't even look at me, when Remus was talking. I could just tell, you were disappointed in me."

"Harry… you really think I would be disappointed in you for that? No, I'm so proud of you." He said, plopping down beside his godson in the tunnel and throwing a supportive arm over his shoulders. "Besides, I think I might know a little bit of how you're feeling."

Harry went rigid and looked to Sirius with disbelieving eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't really want you to know, but I was abused when I was younger too. My mother and father considered me a disgrace when I was sorted into Gryffindor. I was a black after all, and we're notorious for being in the Slytherin house. They were, well, shall we say, more than vocal about their disappointment. Hogwarts became a home for me too, then your grandparents took me in and that became home as well. So, I know how you're feeling and I want you to know there's nothing to be ashamed of and that you are so loved. I know the Dursley's made you believe crying was weak and that you aren't worth anything, but I need you to know that you are worth so much. Not because you're the 'boy-who-lived,' no, it's because you're Harry. You were your parent's world while they were here, I had never seen them so happy when you were born. They loved you so much. Remus and I love you too, we have since the day your father handed you to me and said 'Sirius, meet your godson.' We want to help you now, and we need to know what happened. Okay puppy?"

Tears were falling from Harry's eyes again, and he readily accepted the embrace from Sirius. He felt his godfather press his lips to his hair, and it made him cry harder. He'd never felt this kind of affection or love, from anyone. Sure, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley had hugged him before, but this was different. This felt like he finally had a parent. And if he had a parent, that meant that he should be able to tell him how he felt, just like Ron would tell his Mr. Weasley.

When he had calmed down enough, he nodded against his godfather's shoulder, then accepted the hand helping him stand up. They met Remus at the entrance to the tunnel, then walked back to the headmaster's office. Sirius had his arm around Harry and Remus would occasionally ruffle his hair, as if to reassure himself that Harry was indeed beside him and okay.

When they returned to the office and got comfortable, Remus looked Harry in eyes. "Alright cub, let's try this again."

Harry took a shaky breath and nodded. He began talking, keeping his eyes on the floor the entire time. "I don't really know what changed. Uncle Vernon had never been… abusive. I mean, he was clearly mean to me, but it was never to the point that I couldn't handle it. This summer he picked me up from the train station and I told him about Sirius, thinking that maybe I could scare him a bit, you know? Tell him a convicted murderer was coming to get me." Sirius snorted and Harry looked up to meet his eyes. Sirius smiled at him and nodded, urging him to keep going. Harry looked back to the ground and kept going. "Things were okay that first day, but it was weird. They locked my trunk and belongings in their closet, instead of the cupboard like they usually do. When I resisted and tried to argue, it's like my uncle lost it. He hit me and at that moment I knew things would be different."

He stopped when both Sirius and Remus got up and resituated themselves on either side of him on the couch. Sirius placed his arm around Harry's shoulder again and Lupin gently lifted his chin so he could look him in the eyes. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry shrugged and looked back down to the ground, wanting to keep going now that he had started. "They made me do the chores, and if I did something wrong or even mentioned Sirius's name, they would lock me in my cupboard for two days straight, without food or even allowing me out to use the bathroom. It was… humiliating. Then we got the letter from the ministry saying you got custody of me a few days before my birthday. My uncle was livid, for reasons I couldn't really understand. He always told me what a burden I was, so I didn't see why he cared if I went with you. But he cared a lot. He told me you didn't want me and that I should be grateful and want to stay with them. Then, when he let me read the letter and saw my reaction, he pinned me up against the wall and he…" Harry gulped and went to wipe his eyes from the tears that were forming, but Sirius stopped his hand and wiped them himself.

"That bastard," Sirius whispered, pulling Harry closer to his side. Harry nuzzled into him, not wanting to cry anymore but also desperately needing the comfort.

"I know this is hard," Remus said, squeezing Harry's hand, "but we need you to finish up the story."

Harry nodded against Sirius, then sat up a little straighter, still not taking his eyes from the floor. "He choked me and told me that I had to tell Sirius I didn't want to live with him or-or h-he would k-kill me. And I know I was stupid to believe him, but I did. And that's why I said that when you came to get me. I was so upset, I thought you would hate me." Harry whimpered, moving back into his godfather's embrace.

"Harry, I'll admit I would have been upset if you had truly meant that you didn't want to live with me. But I could never, ever hate you. Okay? I love you and you're stuck with me forever," Sirius said, giving his godson a kiss against his unruly hair.

"Same goes for me, Harry," Remus said, squeezing his hand again.

Harry nodded again, and finally looked up at his two guardians. He smiled and felt genuinely happy for the first time in what felt like years. At that moment, he thought he could cast the strongest patronus ever.


	8. Bonding

"I knew it, Remus, didn't I tell you? They were beating him because of me." Sirius whispered, feeling utterly depressed. After their talk, Sirius had floo'ed Harry back to their new home while Remus stayed to explain the details to Albus for the trial against the Dursleys. Harry was tired, he was still sore from his injuries and was emotionally exhausted after the day, so Sirius had shown him his new room, then tucked him into bed. Harry had resisted, not wanting to be treated like a baby, but Sirius insisted on it. Harry had missed out on a loving childhood, and Sirius wanted to give it to him as much as possible, even if it meant both of them would have to swallow their pride for the good of the other.

"It's still not your fault, Sirius. Harry didn't know they would respond that way to the idea of you, there was no way he could have known or prepared himself. All that matters is that you're innocent, Harry's here, and the Dursley's are going to pay. We've been over this, he doesn't blame you. Ask him when he wakes up-"

"Ask me what," Harry said, standing in the door in his pajamas.

Sirius smiled and walked over to him. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah, ask me what?" Harry asked again, giving his godfather a look. He knew Sirius was stalling because Harry had pulled the same trick before.

Sirius sighed and walked back over to the couch in the sitting room. "It's… nothing, Harry."

"Your godfather is emotionally tormenting himself because he believes he's at fault for your treatment at the Dursley's." Lupin said, turning to Harry.

Sirius glared at his friend, but Harry stared wide-eyed at his godfather. "You… what? Why? No, Sirius I don't think it's your fault at all."

"Maybe not directly, Harry, but it's complicated." Sirius sighed and patted the couch beside him, motioning for Harry to sit down. Harry complied and looked up into his godfather's gray eyes. "If I hadn't sought revenge on Peter, I wouldn't have been chucked into Azkaban. I could have been there for you, at least to visit every once in awhile. Then, I get out of Azkaban, and I leave you again. And it's the thought of me that terrifies your relatives so much that they resorted to beating you. I don't know what their motivation for it was, but I know that it had to do with me."

Harry shook his head. "No, Sirius, they were terrible regardless. They believed I was a freak and they treated me as if I was one. It's not your fault at all, I promise. I don't want you to think it is," he pleaded.

Sirius nodded, but looked away, clearly not accepting it but not wanting to argue. Harry sighed, but then leaned into his godfather, resting his head on his shoulder. Sirius tensed for a second, before realizing what was happening. He threw an arm around Harry and pulled him closer. "I love you, Sirius. I don't think I'd be able to say that if I truly believed you were the reason my parents were dead or the reason my uncle wanted to murder me. It's not your fault, okay?" Harry said, looking into the kind gray eyes again.

Sirius felt close to tears, but he simply nodded against the boy's head and smiled gently.

Remus smiled at the two men in front of him. They almost looked like father and son, sitting together like that. "Alright you two, enough of the mushy stuff."

Sirius smirked and threw a pillow at him. Remus growled in response and Harry laughed. "Oh, you think that's funny, do you?" Remus said with an evil smile, and walked over to the couch Harry and Sirius were sitting on. He threw Harry over his shoulder and spun him around, while Sirius barked his own laugh and Harry yelped at being lifted.

"Remus! Put me down," Harry said with a laugh, pounding his fists against the werewolf's back.

"Hm, I don't know. I think Sirius and I need to teach you a thing or two." Remus said, winking at Sirius as he headed back towards the den. Sirius followed, playfully grabbing Harry's hands to keep him from struggling out of Remus's grasp. Remus threw Harry down on the couch in the den, then both men stood in front of him, daring him to say something.

Harry smirked up at them. "Okay, now that that's over." Before he could stand up, Remus had him pinned. "Ugh, Remus! What are you doing?"

"Hmm, Harry, I thought you were stronger than this. It's almost too easy." Remus said, smiling down at the struggling boy.

Harry was confused for a second, almost frightened at the turn of events, when he realized what his guardians were doing. Summoning every bit of strength he had, he pushed forward and pinned Moony. Sirius laughed at that, "Dang Moony, you've got almost a foot on the kid and at least fifty pounds, that's the best _you_ can do?"

"You try then," Remus said, grabbing Sirius by the hand and yanking him down on top of them. Soon the three of them were in an all-out wrestling match, Sirius and Remus against Harry, and Harry was surprisingly holding his own well. However, it was two against one, and before Harry knew it, he was laying on his stomach on the carpet, breathing heavy, while Sirius kneeled against his back, pinning him down.

"Say 'godfather,' Harry." Sirius said, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Ermph… no." Came the muffled response.

"Fine," Sirius said, eyeing Remus playfully. Then be prepared to be subjected to an act that may or may not rid you of your dignity."

"Gerroff," Harry mumbled, trying his best to push up against the dead weight on his backside.

"Resistance is futile, little prongs. Now, as I was saying, this act will solely depend on whether or not you are ticklish." At that, Harry stopped squirming. Sirius looked over at Remus. "Should I take the silence to mean 'No, Sirius, I am not ticklish'?"

Harry shrugged. "I durno. Gerroff."

Sirius turned to Remus, shrugged, and then began to prod at Harry's ribcage. Harry let out a howl of laughter, which soon turned into panting and pleading with his guardians to stop and let him breathe. Sirius climbed off his back to keep from suffocating him, and eventually Harry turned over to try and fight off his attackers. He didn't realize, however, that this was a mistake. Remus began to tickle his stomach and soon Harry was laughing himself senseless. When the two finally stopped, Harry laid on the floor and continued to giggle. Sirius and Remus leaned back against the couch and watched him with smiles on their faces.

When Harry could finally talk again, he turned to them. "Don't you dare do that again," he said with feigned confidence.

"Or what?" Sirius said, grabbing his arm and pulling him between the two. Harry rested his head on Sirius's shoulder and smiled up at them. "That's what I thought," Sirius said, smiling back down at him. "Can you believe it, Remus? Our _chosen one_ , reduced to a helpless mess with just a little tickle torture." He barked out a laugh as Harry smacked him against his chest. Sirius grabbed his hand and kissed his palm, smiling down at him. "Don't be cross, it's just a bit of fun." He said chuckling and pulling his godson closer.

Remus stood up and stretched, and Sirius nudged Harry. "Hey kid, he's just as ticklish as you are. Go for it." Soon they were on the ground again, but this time with a new target.

"Har-Harry," Remus said through his own laughter, "Siri must have forgotten to mention that he was the most ticklish Marauder of us all."

Sirius yelped as his godson turned on him, and yelled "traitor!" at Moony while attempting to get the upperhand again. The three went on like this for the evening, before heading to the kitchen to make dinner. It had only been a day, but already Harry was having the time of his life. He was so happy to finally have a home.

* * *

The days leading up to the Dursley's trial were tense for Harry, but he was also happier than he had ever been. Sirius and Remus took time out of there days to spend with him, for no reason other than that they wanted to. At first it had caught Harry off-guard, and he had insisted that he didn't need to be babied. Sirius made it evident after a day or so that he didn't have any say in the matter, and Harry succumbed to his guardian's love and care.

They both tucked him in at night, and Harry would often wake up to Snuffles at the foot of his bed or bouncing on his chest. Harry also discovered that he wasn't made to cook any of the meals - Sirius caught him making pancakes early in the morning and pulled him away from the stove so quickly Harry almost dropped the food. Although Harry had been annoyed at first, he secretly liked not having to do anything like cook or clean; granted, he didn't make much of a mess in the first place, but it was nice to be able to wake up and enjoy the day.

However, this refreshing change didn't stop the looming trial that was haunting him, nor the nightmares that went along with it. One specific nightmare haunted him worse than even the ones involving his scar. Voldemort had Sirius and was torturing him in this strange room. Harry watched in horror, unable to do anything to save his beloved godfather, as Voldemort killed him. He let out an anguished cry, but then, then scene shifted. Voldemort was no longer present, but in his place was Harry's Uncle Vernon, kicking him and yelling at him for ruining their pristine reputation. Harry sobbed, and desperately wished Sirius or Remus were around to stop him. All of the sudden, though, Harry had woken up.

Panting heavily, Harry took in his bedroom, which Sirius had decorated in Gryffindor colors, and calmed down enough to get up. He wasn't sure where to go, but knew his chances of going back to sleep were slim.

He walked down to the kitchen, not surprised to see a lamp was on. When he entered, he saw his godfather, looking disheveled and exhausted. Nonetheless, Sirius smiled when he walked in and gestured to a mug of hot chocolate on the table where Harry usually sat.

"I woke you," Harry said, more of a statement than a question.

Sirius gave him a knowing smile, then patted Harry's chair expectantly. "So, what's got you up this late pup?"

Harry smiled at the term of endearment, then sighed. He took a sip of his hot chocolate, wrinkling his nose once he tasted it. "Did you put brandy in this?"

Sirius winked at him, then pushed again. "What was your dream about, Harry?" This wasn't the first time they had done this. In fact, it was becoming almost a ritual. Without fail, whenever Harry had a nightmare, Sirius was downstairs, waiting for him with hot chocolate. Harry almost wondered if Sirius had put some sort of charm on his room to alert him to Harry's nightmares.

"This one was bad," Harry whispered, looking down at his lap.

Sirius put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I can't help if you don't tell me."

Harry nodded, but didn't lift his eyes from where they rested on his thighs. "Well, it started out with Voldemort and-and," Harry sighed and looked away, attempting to gain his composure. Sirius waited patiently, noticing how distressed his godson seemed to be.

"Voldemort had… you. And, he killed you. I watched it and couldn't do anything." Harry mumbled, regaining his composure enough to talk. "Then, it morphed into something else. Once you were gone, I was back at Privet Drive, and Uncle Vernon was there…" This time Harry did not continue, and looked back towards the stairs.

"Oh Harry, there are wards here. I'll be fine and _you_ will never leave me. Okay? You will never go back to Privet Drive. Besides, Dumbledore believes Voldemort is still at bay, so try not to let that worry you. Your scar hasn't hurt again has it?"

Harry shook his head, but did not meet his godfather's eyes. "I know you'll be okay, but…"

"You don't want to think about my death?" Sirius said questioningly, eyeing his godson.

Harry nodded. "You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me, I can't lose you. You're…"

"I'm what, Harry?" Sirius said gently, looking at his godson with concern.

Harry took a deep breath and met his godfather's kind gray eyes. "You're the closest thing I have ever had to a father. I can't lose you." Harry's voice cracked and he returned his gaze to his lap.

Sirius froze for a second, contemplating Harry's words. He slowly stood up, and put a hand on his godson's shoulder. "Come on puppy, let's go upstairs, hmm?"

Harry nodded, and followed his godfather. Sirius walked upstairs to his own bedroom, Harry trailing behind apprehensively. Sirius looked back when he reached the door and smiled. "Nothing will attack you in here, come on."

Harry obeyed and walked past Sirius into the room. Sirius sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for Harry to sit beside him. When Harry hesitated, Sirius smirked at him. "Harry, how many times do I have to tell you that there's no shame in being shown affection. You said I'm the closest thing you have to a father, let me show you how much I care for you."

Harry sat beside him on the bed and looked up at him. "What kind of fourteen year old boy spends the night in his godfather's room? I'm pathetic, I can't even get through the night without having a nightmare."

Sirius pulled him close to his chest and kissed the top of his head. "Harry you have nothing to be ashamed of, you aren't weak. If you don't feel comfortable staying in here tonight, I understand. I just thought it would help you sleep better if you had another person with you."

Harry accepted the hug and then shook his head. "It would help a lot probably, I'm sorry Sirius. I'm just really glad you're okay." He choked out this last part and Sirius realized how hard this dream had hit his godson.

"Shh, puppy, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me, okay?" He said gently, rocking Harry back and forth until his breathing calmed. When Sirius was sure Harry was asleep, he laid him down in the bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. He knew the trial was coming up in a few days, and Harry would have to face his uncle again. He was worried for his godson, but knew that they had to remain strong if justice was to be served. He slowly climbed into the other side of the bed and gently pulled Harry up under his arm protectively.

At least he had been right about one thing: Harry didn't have anymore nightmares that night.


	9. The Trial

\- First I would like to respond to a few reviews. I really appreciate the feedback and would love to hear more! It's been noted a few times that Harry began to trust Remus and Sirius extremely quickly, especially after facing abuse. I agree that I might have made him trust too fast, but at the same time, I think it was appropriate timing. I think Harry craves to know more about his parents, to be close to them in some way, and I think Sirius and Remus give that to him. For me, it's logical to Harry to trust them quickly for that reason. Plus, Harry realized that night in the Shrieking Shack how devoted Sirius was to both him and his parents, as well as the fact that he was appointed by Harry's parents to look after him. Also, Remus was Harry's teacher for a year and showed him how to defend himself against his worst fear, the dementors. It's logical that he already trusts Remus in my mind, despite the abuse he endures.

I also agree that I might not be including enough of Remus in this, but a part of me doesn't want to. I like Remus's character in the books a lot, but Sirius has always been my favorite. Also Sirius has an undying devotion to the Potter's, as mentioned above, and I think it makes sense that Harry seeks him out for comfort. Remus obviously cares about Harry a lot as well, but I think he's more reserved due to his condition.

I do have a few concerns of my own. I want to make Sirius more of a caring guardian for Harry, but I know Rowling didn't necessarily mean for him to be this way. Sirius isn't exactly a touchy-feely type, as seen throughout the books. Although I do like the books better personally, I think of the Sirius in **this story** as more of the movie Sirius and not the book Sirius. So I guess keep all of that in mind while reading.

One last quick note: I think this chapter is shorter than my other's, though I haven't checked the word count. I just wasn't as inspired when writing this bit, but I feel it's important to the chronological order of the story, as well as an important occurrence in general. I have big plans for this story and I don't plan to give up, so please review and stick with it! Thanks!

The morning of the trial came faster than anybody in the Marauder Mansion (as Sirius affectionately coined their country house) had wanted. Harry sat in his chair that morning, poking at his eggs and thinking about the best way to avoid the Dursley's all together during the trial. Maybe he wouldn't be called up as a witness? Harry knew _that_ was unlikely, but it did calm his nerves slightly. Nobody had said that he had to say anything at the trial yet, he had supplied his testimony to his godfather and other partial-guardian, so that very well could be enough.

"Eat puppy," Sirius said in an uncharacteristically strict manner. Despite this, he walked up behind Harry's chair and gently grasped his shoulders in a reassuring way. Sirius knew his godson was nervous, but he wasn't doing him any favors if he let him skip meals. Harry was still far too small for a fourteen year old, and Sirius planned to fix that.

Harry nodded and attempted to eat his now cold eggs. He made a face and Sirius chuckled before pointing his wand at the plate and heating the eggs up again. "This time, eat them while they're warm." He said gently before letting go of Harry's shoulders and moving to sit down beside him.

Harry again attempted to eat. He had finished a little over half of the plate before a sickening wave of nausea overtook him and he rushed to the first floor bathroom. Sirius, realizing what was happening, followed Harry into the bathroom and kneeled down beside his godson. He rubbed Harry's back gently and grimaced when he discovered just how bad Harry's nerves were for the day ahead.

"Harry, it's going to be okay. Do you hear me? The only reason this trial is happening is just to confirm what they did to you, there's no way you'll ever go back to them. They can't hurt you, and I'll be there if they try." Sirius said soothingly, feeling a pang in his chest when he noticed the fearful expression on his godson's face.

"I'll be there too, Harry. They won't get away with this," Remus said, stepping into the bathroom. Sirius gave him an appreciative smile then looked back to Harry.

"Alright, kiddo?" Sirius said gently. Harry nodded slowly and attempted to stand up. Remus placed his hands under his arms and helped him up, then walked him back to the kitchen. Sirius followed closely behind with a warm, damp rag. He ran it across his godson's face when they got back to the table, cleaning up the sick on his clothes with a flick of his wand.

"Don't make me eat anymore, please," Harry whispered, looking up into Sirius and Remus's faces. They nodded their heads in understanding, then went to scrape at their own plates. The three retired from the kitchen soon after and left to get cleaned up for the impending trial at noon.

* * *

The trio apparated to a dark alleyway near the courthouse, then walked up to the building in London. Harry did his best to keep a straight face; it was one thing to let Sirius and Remus see how distraught he was, but in public he had a reputation to keep up. He could see the Daily Prophet: "Boy-Who-Lived Found Cowering in Front of Muggle." It was humiliating, and this in itself was enough to keep Harry from showing any emotion as they approached the large building.

When they got inside, they were escorted into a side room off of the room in which the trial would be taking place. They were told that someone would be in to explain the proceedings soon. Harry looked down at the floor, scared to meet his guardian's concerned eyes. He went through his mantra in his head, over and over again: you are Harry Potter. You defeated Voldemort before you could walk. You fought Voldemort at age eleven, killed a Basilisk, and warded off hundreds of dementors with a corporeal patronus. You can face your uncle. You can do it.

The words, no matter how hard he tried, did not help his nerves. He was brave, and he knew that; the sorting hat clearly saw that characteristic in him as well, and his godfather reminded him of it constantly. He had tested fate thousands of times, and yet here he was, wanting to run from an over sized man with nothing dangerous about him but a death-grip. No, there was something else to it; Harry wouldn't be so nervous if Uncle Vernon was like the other monster's he had faced. But what was it? Vernon had no magical capabilities, no animal instincts… and yet…

Then it hit Harry. The reason he was so scared of his uncle wasn't because he was necessarily more dangerous than the other beasts he had come into contact with; no, it was because Harry had trusted him to keep him alive. After all, that's why Dumbledore kept him there, made him deal with their cruelty all of those years. He didn't expect much from his aunt and uncle, but the one hope he had clung to while he was there, was that he would survive to see another day. Harry almost smiled at his revelation; it had nothing to do with his bravery, or how strong he actually was, it was just that he had trusted this man to let him live and Vernon had broken that trust. Despite realizing this, the anxiety hit him again full force. He really didn't want to see him again.

Sirius noticed this, and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "What is it?"

Harry shrugged, "Just nerves I guess." Sirius didn't believe him, but before he could voice his concern, a lady walked in to speak with them about the trial. She introduced herself as the solicitor, Katherine Michaels and gave Sirius a particularly warm smile when she shook his hand. This wasn't surprising to Harry, and he fleetingly thought about all the women that would be head over heels for Sirius if it had not been for his prolonged stay in Azkaban; regardless, he still maintained his good looks and charm, and it was this that seemed to be wooing the solicitor.

"Right," Katherine mumbled after releasing Sirius's hand. "Are you ready, Harry?"

"What exactly will I be doing?" Harry asked, curious as to whether or not he would need to face his uncle.

"We need you to give a testament under oath to the court," Katherine said simply, twirling her chestnut brown hair when she noticed Sirius listening to her.

Harry visibly tensed at this, and what little attention Sirius had given the solicitor was turned entirely to his godson. He put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. When Harry didn't respond, Sirius said his name firmly, willing him to meet his eyes. After a few moments hesitation, Harry obliged and green met gray. "You're going to be fine. We'll be in this room waiting. You know I would do it for you if I could... hell, I would change your entire past and take all of your pain myself if I could. But I can't, and this will help you."

Harry nodded his understanding but looked back down at the floor. Katherine stared at the two for a moment, clearly not expecting Sirius's reaction. "Right," she said again, trying to get the man's attention more so than the boy's. "As your father said, it will be okay. I'll come back when it's time for you to give your testament. Until then, wait here." Then she quickly walked out to what they assumed was the start of the trial.

Sirius froze at being called Harry's father, but Harry smiled. After realizing _why_ he was so afraid of his uncle and hearing Sirius's support, he felt slightly more comfortable with the situation. "Well, pops, I guess you're going to have to keep me company until then." Harry said, nudging Sirius.

Sirius smiled and pushed Harry back. "Did you just call me pops? Of all names? I'm far too young and handsome to be called 'pops'" Harry laughed and again attempted to push at Sirius. Relief swept through Sirius when he saw that his godson had relaxed considerably since that morning. Instead of retaliating, he threw an arm around Harry and pulled him into a headlock. Remus chuckled at their antics, then playfully scolded Sirius for messing up Harry's hair.

"Because it looked _so_ great before…" Sirius said cheekily, earning a smack on the chest from Harry.

The three of them continued on like that, Sirius and Remus desperately attempting to keep Harry's mind from the trial as long as possible. Despite this, they knew they could not hold off forever, and Katherine had soon returned to the room to collect Harry.

Sirius stood up as Harry did and clapped him on the shoulder. "You'll do fine, and then once it's over we'll get the hell out of here."

"Sirius," Remus warned before turning to Harry himself and flattening his bangs. "Just tell them the truth and you'll never have to worry about the Dursley's again."

Harry nodded, his anxiety from the morning returning to him. He walked behind Katherine out into the courtroom, where he came face to face with his beefy uncle. He sat in the witness stand, swore on oath to tell the truth, then took a deep breath. He wasn't exactly sure where to begin; people typically seemed horrified with the idea of his cupboard, but Harry didn't know whether mentioning that would be meaningful enough for the evidence.

After a few moments deliberation, he began to speak, starting with his earliest memories of neglect, including the cupboard, and ending with this past summer. He could feel his uncle's glare, but whenever he started to feel afraid he thought of Sirius, Remus, his friends, and his new home. He just had to get out of the courthouse and he would never have to deal with this again.

* * *

"Vernon Dursley, you are hereby sentenced to ten years in state prison for physically and verbally abusing a minor. Petunia Dursley, you are sentenced to three years in state prison for assitance of said abuse. Case dismissed."

Harry was shocked; of course, he knew that the Dursley's couldn't get away with their behavior, and yet it almost seemed to good to be true. He had wanted someone to take him away from there for as long as he could remember, and now, it had finally happened. He turned to Sirius and Remus, both of which were beaming down at him. "See, Harry? I told you everything would be alright." Sirius said, ruffling his hair.

"Is that an 'I told you so?'" Harry asked, smiling back at him.

"It might be, and as your 'pops,' I have every right to say it to you." Sirius said, looking slightly prideful. Harry laughed at the nickname and grabbed his godfather's arm as they turned to disapparate back to the Marauder's Mansion for what looked like a fantastic end to the summer holiday.


	10. Sickness and Conflict

-I'm just going to throw out a warning that this one has mentions of disciplinary spanking. I don't think I will actually ever write about that, but I wanted to throw in some conflict between Harry and Sirius because no relationship is ever perfect, and I feel that Harry would attempt to be defiant at some point. That's where this comes from and it probably won't be the last conflict I write about... I just doubt I'll go into detail on the discipline. Still deciding. But here we go! Also, I've found that either I write all day or don't write at all for a week. Oh well-

Sirius awoke to Harry's whimpering, although this didn't sound like his usual nightmare. Typically, if Sirius heard Harry thrashing around, he'd leave him to wake up and go downstairs to make hot chocolate for the two of them. He had a feeling Harry had come to expect this of him, and was happy to make his godson feel even a little better after a bad dream.

But this was not a bad dream. This was different… _he sounds like he's in pain,_ Sirius thought, panic striking his features as he lept out of bed and ran towards the teen's room.

He opened the door gently and surveyed the surroundings. No one appeared to be in the room. He approached the boy's bed and frowned at what he saw. Harry was curled up into a ball, whimpering in pain. "Harry?" Sirius whispered, kneeling down beside the bed.

Harry's eyes shot open and he whimpered again. "Sorry - did I wake you?"

Sirius rubbed his hand against the boy's forehead and noted that he was burning up. "I couldn't sleep anyway, what's wrong with you, puppy?"

"I-I don't know." Harry mumbled, looking down and wincing from pain.

"I think you do know little prongs, and if you don't tell your godfather, I'll have to take matters into my own hands," Sirius replied, half-joking.

Harry shuddered, then met Sirius's eyes. "I think I might be catching a small cold. Nothing I can't handle or-" he was cut off when he whimpered at the pain again.

"This looks like more than a small cold, pup. Do you mind if I take your temperature? Also, please tell me where it hurts." Sirius got rid of his joking manner and concern immediately overtook him. He'd never cared for a sick child before, other than when Harry was little and he helped out James and Lily, so he wasn't sure exactly what to expect. He knew one thing, though, he wanted to take Harry's pain away.

Harry nodded and sat up slightly in bed. "Do you know how to use a thermometer?"

"A thermome-what? I can just do a diagnostic spell." Sirius said with a shrug. Harry had almost forgotten that he was no longer in the muggle world and smiled to himself, despite the pain.

"Go for it then," Harry said, turning to him. Sirius cast the spell and grimaced at the 101 degree fever and the diagnosis that went along with it.

"The flu…" Sirius mumbled, confused. "What's that?"

Harry chuckled at his godfather's oblivious facial expression, but the laughter hurt his dry throat and seemed to confuse Sirius more. "It's really not a laughing matter I suppose, but it's a type of muggle illness. Supposedly can make people pretty bad off if not treated. A trip to the drug store should help-"

"Nonsense, I'm sure we have potions here that will heal you right up. Too bad it's the night before the full moon, Moony is so much better healing. Oh well, you and I will figure it out. I'll get you some water, you get back to bed." Sirius said, gently pushing on Harry's shoulders.

Harry nodded and laid back down, chuckling as Sirius tried to tuck him in again. "What's funny now?" Sirius asked, also slightly amused now that he knew his godson wasn't in immediate danger.

"Well, you know, from all those mugshot pictures I saw of you, I'd never expect you to make a great mother hen." Harry said cheekily.

"You're lucky you're sick, otherwise you'd get what's coming to you." Sirius said, playfully poking Harry's side. Instead of giggling or yelping the way he normally did, though, Harry groaned. "What, did that hurt you?" Sirius asked, concern once again taking hold of him.

"It's nothing, Sirius. The flu causes bad body aches. That's all, I'm fine." Harry said, trying to make his godfather calm down a little.

Sirius nodded, though he seemed unconvinced. "Alright, I'll be back with the water and see if we have potions for the fever."

Harry thought Sirius might have stepped out of the room and apparated downstairs, considering he had returned within practically a minute. He tried to laugh again at Sirius's demeanor and over-protective tendencies, but he was getting weaker by the minute. Instead of the chuckle he wanted to produce, he whimpered, which caused Sirius to move quickly back to his bedside. "Here puppy, drink this." He said gently, tilting a dark blue potion against Harry's lips. The brew didn't taste good at all, but it was refreshing and instantly cooled his heated body down.

"Good lad," Sirius said, putting the empty vial down on the night stand and grabbing the glass of water. "Wash it down with this, I know it doesn't taste very good." Harry let him pour the water into his mouth and drank thirstily. Sirius then took the vial that the fever-reducing potion was in and transfigured it into a cot for himself. He sat down and then looked at Harry. "Go ahead and sleep Harry, I will be here for you when you wake up."

Harry grimaced to himself; he hated inconveniencing his guardians, especially since he had gone fourteen years without having anyone look out for him. He couldn't voice this though, he knew by now that it would either hurt Sirius's feelings or make him angry if he refused him. Besides, he did kind of like being cared for; it was a nice change.

* * *

A few days had passed and Sirius had taken to caring for both Harry and Remus, being that Remus had to endure the full moon a couple of nights prior. Harry was almost entirely better, but still significantly weak. Despite appreciating Sirius's care, he was getting tired of sitting in the same place for so long and wanted to visit his friends desperately. Sirius had turned him down gently that morning when he asked, saying that he preferred if Harry would wait a few more days. Harry wasn't sure what had overcame him when he got this response, but he snapped at Sirius. Expecting anger from Sirius, Harry was shocked to have seen hurt tear across his godfather's features. His Uncle Vernon always responded with rage when Harry was rude, and despite Harry knowing Sirius was different than his relatives, he was not at all aware of the inner torment he had inflicted on his godfather.

Embarrassed but still determined to leave the house and fly to the Burrow, Harry mumbled a quick apology and walked upstairs.

Remus looked at Sirius, bewildered. "You're going to let him get away with that?"

"Well, what was I supposed to do? The poor kid's been sick all week, I can't blame him for wanting to see his friends." Sirius responded, still hurt that Harry, his normally sweet and kind godson, had responded so rashly.

Surprisingly, Remus chuckled. "He's just like James and you were. He has a very good heart, but also isn't afraid to risk his safety. Do you remember what would happen when James or you did something that would risk _your_ safety?"

"Well, yeah. Mr. Potter threw us over his knee. But Remus, you expect me to do that to him for just talking back?" Sirius asked, now bewildered himself. "I mean, he's a teenage boy."

"So were you two, Charlus didn't have a problem tanning either of your hides. And no, I don't expect you to do that for that particular instance, Harry did seem remorseful. But he's been here a few weeks now, I think it's time to set boundaries and discipline him if need be." Remus said, smirking at his friend's look of shock.

Sirius cleared his throat. "It's not that I don't agree with you, I do, really. He is a bit defiant in certain circumstances, that's James coming out in him. But also, he was abused. You can't expect me to put him through more pain and humiliation, can you? He would never forgive me."

"Sirius, how do you remember Mr. Potter?" Remus asked.

"He was a very kind and good man. Fair, stuck with his morals, wise as well. I considered him to be my own father after I ran away." Sirius said, confused. "But what does that have to do with any of this?"

"Did you love him?" Remus asked again.

"Of course, you just heard me. He thought of me as his own!"

"Then Harry will forgive you if you discipline him. There's a difference between discipline and abuse. You were abused too Sirius-"

"Thanks for the reminder," Sirius huffed, but looked at his friend with an amused expression, realizing where this was going.

Remus smiled back at him. "You know what I'm saying. You don't think of Mr. Potter as a cruel man, you love him, despite all the times you were thrown over his knee. Knowing you, you probably got more wallopings than James did-"

"Oi!" Sirius said, feigning hurt.

"My point is, Sirius, Harry craves a father figure and he wants you to fulfill that role. You can't just be his friend, which you really are great at, if I might add. You have to also hold your own, but in a way that won't hurt Harry like the Dursley's did. If you discipline him the way Charlus disciplined you, there shouldn't be any problem. Granted, make sure he deserves it. I was tempted to do it myself last term when I found him wandering around the castle." Remus chuckled. "Anyway, I think Harry's testing you a bit. He loves and respects you, that's obvious, but I think he's still trying to grasp the idea that someone cares about him. He might even _want_ you to discipline him."

At Sirius's confounded expression, Remus continued. "Think about it. He was neglected his entire childhood and unrightfully punished for various things. Whenever he raised his voice to talk back to his aunt and uncle, he was thrown in a cupboard and given a disgusted look, like he wasn't worth anything more than dirt or vile. But now, he's got you. And he wants to see if you care enough about him to discipline him, or if you're going to ignore his behavior and cast him away in the same way the Dursley's did. He wants to know that this is real, that he's loved and that he has someone who cares about whether or not he puts his life at risk unnecessarily."

Sirius nodded his understanding, but his head was spinning. "Well, I guess we can cross that bridge when we get to it. I'll leave him to his brooding for now and him and I can talk about rules and what not later this afternoon. Besides, he's still sick and was more than likely just cranky. Can't say I blame him, being locked up is not fun."

Remus put a supportive hand on his shoulder and smiled kindly at his friend. "You really are doing a great job with him."

"So are you, Moony!" Sirius said, surprised at the affection he heard in his friend's voice.

"Yeah yeah. Hey, I'm starving, does the mother hen want to go make me some food?" Remus said before promptly getting a pillow thrown at his face.

* * *

Harry wasn't quite sure why he was feeling so angry. He knew that Sirius didn't want him to leave because he was worried he would only get sicker, but he wanted to get out of the house desperately. Not to mention, he was a little ashamed. He didn't want to face his godfather after yelling at him the way he had. Sirius had done so much for him for weeks now, how could he look him in the eye after being so mean to one of the people he cared for most?

He was going to go to the Weasley's. He knew Ron would help him sort things out, and there house was a quick broom ride over the hill. He could be there in minutes. Making up his mind, he grabbed the broom out of his closet and headed up towards the top floor, when he heard his name.

"Harry? What… are you…" Harry turned around to see a shocked Sirius and, strangely, an amused Remus.

Harry looked down at his feet. "I-I'm…" The words wouldn't come to him, he didn't know what to say. He had been caught red-handed. However, Sirius didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence.

"Go to your room, Harry." Harry could see the anger that Sirius was so well known for in his features, but there was something else there… concern? Disappointment? Harry didn't stick around to figure it out though, and obediently placed the Firebolt against the wall and walked back to his room.

"Wow," Remus mumbled when Harry was out of earshot. "I expected an argument, kind of surprised actually. He clearly respects you a lot for him to just leave like that."

Sirius took a few calming breaths before meeting his friends eyes. "Respects me? Remus, he completely disregarded me telling him to stay here a few more days. That doesn't seem like respect to me."

"Remember what we just talked about Sirius. He's testing you. Go talk to him… also, I doubt you were considering it, but I wouldn't put him over your knee just yet. Talking will probably work best for this instance." Remus said with a small smile.

Sirius nodded, "Don't worry, I wasn't thinking about doing that. But I'm going to wait a few minutes before I go in there. I don't want to talk to him while I'm still angry. Not to mention, some time alone might do him good."

* * *

Harry laid on his bed and inwardly berated himself for his stupidity. Why was he behaving like this to Sirius? First yelling at him, then disobeying him… sure, Harry did it to his professors occasionally, but within good reason. The only time he ever misbehaved for no reason was at the Dursleys. So why was he now purposely hurting Sirius? He was so angry with himself, and wasn't sure what to do. Sirius had never looked that angry around him, and it had definitely never been directed _towards_ him. An unwelcome idea crept into his mind: Sirius is realizing you're too much trouble. No wonder the Dursley's treated you the way they did. They were right, who would want you?

Harry bit back tears as he continued to brainstorm what his next move should be. Should he go apologize? Would Sirius even accept it? Should he hide in his room until term began? Maybe kiss robes a bit, cook breakfast every morning? He surely had to do something.

Harry didn't notice during his brooding, but Sirius had crept in the room. "Harry?" Sirius said, his voice stern.

Harry winced at the tone, and refused to turn around and meet his godfather's eyes. He didn't want to see the disappointment that would surely be there.

He felt the bed sink as Sirius sat down beside him. Harry gulped, preparing for the worst. He felt Sirius grab his chin and soon his eyes met his godfather's. Surprisingly, there was not any anger in his grey orbs - a little bit of hurt, yes, but no anger. That almost scared Harry more; he felt he deserved the anger, the rage, from his godfather. Instead of expressing all of this, he found himself choking out, "I'm sorry."

To his surprise, Sirius had pulled him into a gentle hug. For no good reason, Harry started crying. He didn't want to show weakness, but he also knew he didn't deserve his godfather's forgiveness.

"Shh, Harry, it's okay." Sirius mumbled into his ear while rubbing his back. "But we do need to talk."

Harry nodded, quieting his whimpers, and moved out of the embrace. He met his godfather's eyes again, and this time Sirius smiled at him. "Why are you misbehaving? You heard me tell you that you can see your friends in a few days."

"I-I know. I just… I guess I'm not used to being told what to do. My relatives never… well, I don't know." He finished, staring down at his feet.

"Listen, Harry, we need to lay some ground rules down. You've had a tough time and by no means do I want to deprive you from enjoying yourself. But I care a lot about you kid, and I can't have you risking your life for no reason. I couldn't live with myself if I lost you. Harry nodded and continued to stare at the floor. "What you did today wasn't that bad. A little attitude and disobedience, but no harm done… this time. But you need to know that next time I won't be as quick to look past it. I know you don't know much about your grandfather but he believed in discipline over punishment. And because he was the first real parent figure I had, I believe in it too."

Harry looked up, bewildered. "You're going to wallop me?"

Sirius couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. "Not today, as I said, what you did was not that bad. But I need you to understand that I am not your uncle, and I care about you far too much to just let you do whatever you please. I ask that you respect my wishes for you, and if you have a problem with it, you talk to me without raising your voice. I know I'm not exactly the best person to be lecturing on this, but I just want us to be able to continue on the way we are. I want us to be close, Harry, but I also need you to know that I think of you as a son and will not let you get away with reckless behavior. Understand?"

Harry nodded and grinned sheepishly at his godfather. "Yes, I do. I really am sorry, I'm not sure why I was so angry."

"You're forgiven, it's behind us now." Sirius said, patting his shoulder.

Sirius got up to leave the room, ruffling Harry's hair affectionately. "Oh, and Sirius?" Harry called.

"Yes?" Sirius said, turning around to face him.

"Thanks, for everything." Harry said.

Sirius smiled. "Oh, now you appreciate old mother hen, do you?"

They both laughed and Sirius walked back towards the kitchen, a new found confidence that they would be fine.


	11. The Quidditch World Cup

-And here we go! Getting into Fourth Year stuff!-

The summer continued on, with Harry and Sirius often going flying in the mornings after breakfast, then returning to do whatever work needed to be done. During dinner, Remus and Sirius would entertain Harry with stories of their time at Hogwarts. Harry was very content with his new life and was sad to see the new Hogwarts school letter come so soon.

"Look Harry," Remus had said that morning once the post had been delivered. "List of books is here. And it appears you got a note from Molly as well." He handed both pieces of parchment to Harry.

Harry scanned over the book list, but shrugged it to the side where Sirius could read it if he wanted. He opened Molly's letter, which requested that Harry join Arthur and the kids at the Quidditch World Cup.

"What does it say?" Remus said, looking down at Harry with a knowing smile.

"The Quidditch World Cup! Can I go?" Harry asked, looking excitedly between Sirius and Remus.

"Of course you can, Harry." Sirius said, clapping him on the shoulder. "We can't have our star seeker miss one of the biggest games of the year, now can we?"

Harry jumped up to give his godfather a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me, thank Arthur. He's the one that got all the tickets. I believe you'll be traveling by portkey tomorrow morning. You can spend the night with the Weasley's tonight if you want, that would probably be easiest, hmm?" Sirius said, smiling at his ecstatic godson.

Harry nodded then ran to Remus to hug him as well. He then ran upstairs to presumably pack for the few days ahead. Remus and Sirius both chuckled at his excitement. "I'm glad he's happy." Sirius said after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"Me too, Sirius. I'm glad he's here." Remus responded, staring at the door Harry just evacuated. "Well take him to Diagon Alley to get his books when he gets back from the World Cup."

Sirius nodded his agreement, and then the duo went up to Harry's room to help him get ready.

* * *

"Alright kiddo. Got your galleons, clothes, and toothbrush?" Remus asked, a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry nodded and added cheekily, "Now that we've checked my belongings thirty times, can I fly over there?"

Remus gave him a fake stern glance, then shook his head. "I'm afraid you are missing one thing."

Harry looked confused and then glanced around his room. "What?"

"A goodbye hug from your godfather, of course." Sirius said, walking in the room. Harry smiled and obliged.

"Don't forget about poor old Moony, now." Remus said before being engulfed by Harry himself. "Now you better be careful, I know you're a fantastic flyer, but just go straight there. I'm sure the boys will want to play quidditch once you get there anyway, so no need for detours."

Harry nodded his understanding before giving one last glance to Sirius. "Bye kiddo, take care of yourself. We'll see you in a few days."

Harry smiled up at them and began to walk downstairs to leave. On the last step, he looked back up the stairs at his guardians and smiled at them. "I love you guys."

"Back at you, Harry. Have fun." Sirius called as Harry stepped out the door and kicked off on his broom. Sirius sighed. "I know he's going to have fun, but I hate to say goodbye. He attracts trouble, you know. There's going to be thousands of wizards at the cup from all over. Not the safest place for the boy-who-lived, huh?"

"I know, Sirius, I'm nervous about it too. This is the first time he's been away from us since we got him. But you know better than anyone how brave and strong Harry is. If he's anything like his father and godfather, which I promise you, he is, then he'll be fine." Remus chuckled, patting Sirius on the shoulder before walking back downstairs.

* * *

The next morning came bright and early, much to Harry and Ron's displeasure. They woke up to Mrs. Weasley yelling at them from the kitchen to hurry, then, after a generous breakfast, followed Mr. Weasley up the hill to the portkey.

As the large group of Weasleys, Hermione, and Harry approached the hill, they noticed two other people coming close to the portkey sight. "Amos Diggory!" Mr. Weasley called to him. "Alright then?"

"Fine, Arthur, and yourself?" Mr. Diggory responded cheerily, his arm over his son Cedric, who Harry remembered from Hogwarts.

"We're great, as a matter of fact." Arthur said, smiling. "I'm taking my group out to the campsite. These are my children, you know Percy, Fred, and George I'm sure. This is Ron and Ginny, my youngest two, then their friends Hermione and, well, I'm sure you've heard of Harry."

"Harry Potter," Amos Diggory said, sticking a hand out to shake. "It's a pleasure. Of course, fame might not indicate skill, correct? I mean, I remember Cedric and the Hufflepuff team beating your team in Quidditch just last year. I was so proud." He said, patting Cedric on the shoulder.

"Dad, I told you what happened. Harry fell off his broom." Cedric said, giving an apologetic look to Harry.

"Oh Cedric, so modest. Anyway, may the best team win this year, correct, Mr. Potter?" Mr. Diggory said, raising his eyebrows to Harry.

Harry simply nodded, repressing his anger, and walked back over to Ron and Hermione to prepare to grab the portkey.

"Alright kids, it's time. Hold on tight and let go when I tell you to, okay?" Mr. Weasley said, grabbing the portkey to demonstrate. The rest of the group followed suit. Harry felt a pull behind his navel, and then all of the sudden, he was spinning in the air down towards a large, grassy field.

Once they landed, Arthur went to the muggle that owned the campsite to find out where they would be setting up, and the kids went off to look around the camp and talk with friends from Hogwarts. The afternoon went on with no major occurrences, and soon Harry, Hermione, and Ron were buying souvenirs for the game. The evening continued on in a blur, with an amazing game won by the Irish, despite the Bulgarian Seeker, Victor Krum, catching the snitch.

At one point during the game, Hermione had stopped watching to comfort the distressed house elf of Barty Crouch.

"How could he leave her up there alone like that? She was obviously miserable!" Hermione exclaimed to Harry and Ron as they walked away from the stadium when the game had ended.

"I don't know Hermione, but I'm _sure_ Mr. Crouch had his reasons. He's a brilliant man, you know." Percy said, walking past the three. Hermione scowled and Ron grumbled something about an arrogant git before they continued on to the tent to sleep.

* * *

"KIDS, WAKE UP!" Arthur exclaimed, pushing on the beds to rouse the group. "Come on, it's an emergency. I need you to get up and run to the woods, stay together, and don't go looking for trouble. Don't ask, we will explain later."

The group, still feeling groggy, jumped out of bed to put on their jumpers and trainers, before running out of the tent. Harry stuck with Ron and Hermione as they ran straight for the forest, desperately trying to get away from the flames and mobs of people.

"Wait!" Harry yelled, reaching into his pockets desperately. "Where's my wand? I had it earlier."

"Harry come on, we'll find it," Hermione said, yanking him forward. They continued to run until they reached an empty clearing in the forest.

"What do you think is happening?" Ron mumbled, looking out at the destruction from where they stood.

"I… I'm not sure. I saw masked people and, well, from what I've read in the History of Magic book, they looked like death eaters, Voldemort's followers. And did you see what they were doing? They were levitating the muggles that run the camp site! How awful!" Hermione gasped, trying to peer out further at the scene. A twig broke near by and all three turned their heads to see who it was.

All of the sudden, a great green light shot into the sky, and a skull with a snake tongue appeared amongst the stars. The screaming intensified and about twenty wizards apparated around the three and shot stunning spells. The trio ducked just in time to miss the spells, and they heard Arthur yell out "Wait! That's my son, don't fire!"

"Which one of you did it?" Barty Crouch whispered venomously. "Which of you shot the dark mark into the air?"

"Mr. Crouch, consider who you are talking to! That's Harry Potter!" Mr. Weasley said, running to the children's aid.

"We heard a noise over there before it… the dark mark, was shot into the sky," Harry said, pointing them in the direction.

The other wizards ran over to the spot and frowned. "Winky? My own elf!" They heard Crouch yell, enraged.

"What is it, Mr. Crouch?" Percy yelled to him, eager to partake in the important duties of the ministry.

"Where did you get this wand, Winky?" Crouch whispered maniacally to his trembling elf.

"I-I was given it, Sir." Winky sobbed.

"Check the wand to see the last spell it casted." Mr. Weasley suggested.

Upon closer inspection, Harry, Ron, and Hermione recognized the wand. "That's my wand! We got out to this clearing and I realized I couldn't find it!" Harry said, walking forward.

Crouch gave Harry a suspicious look, but the glare from the other wizards made him relax his features. "Revealio." He mumbled at the wand, which showed that it did indeed cast the mark.

"My own house elf. I can't believe it." Crouch spat.

"Mr. Crouch, if I may, Winky doesn't have the proper magical ability to shoot such a spell. It couldn't be her." Hermione said, pleading with the man.

"Well, Winky, do you know what this means?" Crouch mumbled, ignoring Hermione all together.

"No, master please! Winky did not do it!" The small elf sobbed.

"Clothes you despicable creature! How dare you smear my name this way?" Crouch shoved the wand back into Harry's hand and the wizards all started to apparate back to the main scene.

"Come on kids, back to the tent, then." Mr. Weasley said, nudging them along.

* * *

"Sirius calm down, they will be alright." Remus said, though he too appeared to be worried sick.

"Death eaters! The dark mark!" Sirius yelled, throwing down the Daily Prophet on the kitchen table at the Burrow. "Of all things at the Quidditch World Cup. Can't they just enjoy themselves? Is it always some crazy dangerous occurrence with Harry?"

Mrs. Weasley and Remus shared a knowing look, but soon returned to their own concerned expressions. "Arthur sent a patronus saying the kids were okay, and I trust that they're fine. They'll be port keying back any moment." Mrs. Weasley said gently.

As she said this, the large group appeared walking back into the front yard of the house. All three wizards immediately ran out to greet them, Molly reaching first with Sirius and Remus just behind her. "What happened?" Molly asked, hugging her husband.

Sirius practically lifted Harry off the ground with the intensity of his hug. "Let him breath, Sirius," Remus mumbled, desperate to hug Harry as well, to make sure he was safe.

Once Molly, Remus, and Sirius had all been reassured that everyone was fine, they walked into the house to hear the story.

"They almost arrested Harry?" Sirius asked, gripping his godson's shoulder protectively.

"Well, I don't think Crouch would have gotten away with it, but I can't say the situation didn't seem suspicious. It was Harry's wand that shot the mark and they were-"

"In the wrong place at the wrong time, like always." Ron grumbled, finishing the sentence for his dad.

Harry smirked at his best friend. The statement had some truth to it, and he was reminded of all the adventures they had to endure the past three years.

"Of course it was Crouch that tried to arrest him," Sirius said, venom in his voice. "That blasted man was the reason I didn't even get a trial in the first place."

"You didn't get a trial?" Harry exclaimed, looking up at his godfather.

"No, I didn't. But I suppose I've been rewarded handsomely for that mistake now. Regardless, I can't believe this happened. The dark mark… you know, it worries me. Dumbledore's said-"

"Sirius," Molly interrupted, "Not now."

Harry looked up at his godfather. "Dumbledore's always said what? That Voldemort will return?"

"Harry!" Molly shrieked, cringing at the name. Then she turned on Sirius and Remus. "You told him, didn't you? He's a boy, he doesn't need to worry about that right now!"

"Mrs. Weasley, Dumbledore told me! I asked him my first year of Hogwarts after I defended the stone _from_ Voldemort. Trust me, it's not a big shock." Harry said the last part almost bitterly, and Sirius squeezed his shoulder gently.

Molly looked solemn, but nodded. "Well, we don't know anything for certain. Let's not worry on it now, school is coming up and there are going to be some exciting things occurring this year. Why don't you three get on," she indicated Sirius, Remus, and Harry, "and we'll meet you in Diagon Alley tomorrow bright and early. Okay?"

Sirius and Remus thanked Mr. Weasley again for protecting Harry, and then the small family left to go home and discuss the not-so-bright future at hand.


	12. The Start of a New Year

-Moving into fourth year AU! Surprises coming, feel free to leave reviews!-

The next morning came too early for Harry, who had been up all night thinking about the events of the cup and how strange Barty Crouch and his house elf had behaved. He walked downstairs to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes to see his godfather slaving over the stove.

"Sirius, what are you doing?" Harry asked, chuckling at the sight of his godfather cooking the muggle way.

He turned and smiled brightly at Harry. "What? I can't cook my favorite godson his favorite meal before I spoil him senseless in Diagon Alley?"

Remus smirked at him from his seat across from Harry before giving Harry a warm smile as well.

"You don't have to go to all this trouble for me you know, I should make the pancakes for you. You guys do too much for me." Harry said, returning Remus's smile and then turning back to face Sirius.

"Nonsense, Harry. Who else do I have to cook food and buy tons of presents for? Why would you deny your old godfather that privilege?" He shot puppy dog eyes at Harry, who chuckled and shrugged. "Well old man, if you insist."

"Watch the cheek," Sirius said with a bark-like laugh, swatting at Harry before finishing up the last of the pancakes. They all sat down and had an enjoyable breakfast together before departing for Diagon Alley.

Upon their arrival in the Leaky Caldron, Harry made to walk towards the exit to the street. "I'm going to search for Ron and Hermione!" He called, only to be stopped with a strong hand on his shoulder. "Wait for me, Harry, I'll go with you." Sirius said gently, looking back for Remus, who had stopped to greet an acquaintance in the pub.

"Oh, erm, alright then." Harry said, slightly confused at Sirius's strange behavior from the morning.

The three crossed through the brick passageway onto the bustling street of Diagon Alley and searched for the clan of redheads. They found the group in front of Flourish and Blotts getting their used books for the year.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled, running up to hug him with Ron at her heels. "Did you see the supply list? We need dresses and dress robes for this year! I wonder what for?"

Harry shrugged but smiled at them. The three began browsing around the shop, looking at the different books and laughing at the third years trying to buy the _Monster Book of Monsters_ without being bitten. "Leave it to Hagrid to list a book that could bite your finger off," Ron mumbled as the large group left the bookshop.

"Come on everyone, let's head to Madam Malkin's for your dress robes!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, walking towards the far end of the street.

When they entered the shop, Ginny and Hermione immediately began picking out dresses to try on, but Mrs. Weasley stopped them. "Ginny dear, the formal outfits are for fourth years only. If there's an exception when you get to school, I'll send you something, but for now let's just browse for the boys."

Ginny ignored her mother and continued to ogle over the new, gorgeous dress gowns Hermione was holding.

"Here, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, bringing an emerald green robe over to him after exhausting her attempts to pull Ginny away from the sparkly dresses. "This will go beautifully with your eyes. Try it on, go on."

Sirius snickered and nudged Harry towards the dressing rooms. "That's right kid, let's see it." Harry shot him a look but went into the dressing room, Ron following him into the next room over. Harry stepped out looking like a seventh year rather than a fourth year due to the well-fitted, gorgeous robes. Ron, however, stepped out in a pink-colored, lace robe, feeling mortified. "Mum, I think this was meant for Ginny?"

"No, no dear. Those are your robes. They're, well, they're used robes of course… But I'm sure we can do something to fix it. I think you just look dashing." Molly said, walking up to straighten the lace.

Ginny snickered at Ron, but stopped with a look from her father. "Well… Harry, your robes look great on you."

"Er-thanks Ginny." Harry mumbled, feeling the heat rising to his cheeks. Sirius snickered at him again before smiling and walking over. "We'll get these, go take them off so we can get out of here… you know, before I die of boredom."

"Hmm, well you know, I was thinking I'd like to try a few different colors… maybe red, blue, burgundy, indigo, purple... might even try the lace, Ron does look rather dashing..." Harry said jokingly, before ducking from a swat from his godfather and walking back in the dressing room to remove the robes.

After a few more minutes of bickering between Ron and his mother, the group left Madam Malkin's to go to lunch at the Leaky Caldron, in which Harry and his friends enjoyed a large helping of turkey meat, an assortment of vegetables, and refreshing pumpkin juice. At the end of the meal, Harry, Hermione, and Ron wanted to go find dessert somewhere on Diagon Alley. "Sirius, can we go grab ice cream? We'll be right back."

"Absolutely not!" Mrs. Weasley said, in a very uncharacteristically harsh tone.

Taken aback, Harry turned to his godfather. "Why?"

"Can I explain it to you at home? I'll get you some treacle tart or something before we leave, but I'd rather you stay near me too." Sirius whispered to him with a shrug.

Harry was confused, embarrassed, and a little angry at not being trusted enough to walk down the street a block, especially considering Sirius would have not listened to authority at the age of fourteen; nonetheless, he nodded and sat back down in his seat out of respect for his godfather's wishes. Sirius smiled at him, and prepared to start up a new round of discussion, when Ron spoke up. "Why not mum? We've been walking alone around Diagon Alley since we were eight."

Harry looked up at his friend, surprised. Ron was not normally one to question his mother; she was very talented at striking fear in her own children.

Mrs. Weasley glared at him for questioning her, but then sighed. "It's complicated, Ron. There's been some…" She looked at Harry fondly, but fleetingly, as if she knew something about him that he didn't. "... incidences this summer in which we feel that we need to be more careful."

"What? Incidences with me?" Harry looked up at Sirius, confused and a little betrayed at being kept in the dark.

"No, no, no, Harry, it's okay." Mrs. Weasley said, rushing over to his side of the table. "It's not… it's got nothing to do with you dear, okay? Just trust that the responsible adults-" she shot Sirius a look as she said this,"-know what's best for your safety okay?"

Harry didn't respond but instead looked down at his plate, still confused and slightly hurt at being treated like the child he knew he wasn't. Sirius put a hand on his shoulder and Harry looked up at him. Remus was looking at him too, and Harry knew he would find out the problem soon enough, his guardians wouldn't keep him in the dark because they didn't think he was a child - they knew better.

* * *

"Harry, your scar hurting is concerning," Remus began as they sat down in the study at the Marauder's Mansion. "Sirius, Dumbledore, and I… well, we have reason to believe Voldemort and his followers are a little too active for comfort right now. Especially with your dreams and what happened at the World Cup yesterday. We also have reason to believe that they're going to come after you, so that's why we need you to be careful. We don't have any facts yet, but please trust us on this."

Harry thought about his words and nodded. It wasn't exactly news, he had expected something similar after the attacks. "I'll be careful, but I would like to be able to leave the house without being suffocated." He tried to say it jokingly, but it fell flat. Regardless, Sirius and Remus smiled at him and nodded. "I think flying around here and going to the Burrow is okay for now, we just need to be careful in public places. Diagon Alley doesn't matter too much anymore, you leave for school tomorrow." Sirius said the last part almost bitterly.

"Can I-can I still go to Hogsmeade? I didn't really get to go last year and enjoy myself because of the Dursley's and well… you know, everyone thought I had a mass murderer following me." Harry said, smirking.

Sirius and Remus smiled and nodded. "Hogsmeade will be safe with all the professors around, but make sure you don't go without Ron or Hermione." Sirius said. "I'm sure Remus will keep an eye on you."

Harry smiled at them, then realized what their conversation meant. "I guess I better go pack for tomorrow…"

Sirius took on solemn features. "I guess you better."

Harry nodded and went to walk upstairs; he wasn't ready to leave the first place he had ever called home and definitely wasn't ready to say goodbye to his godfather. He was happy that Remus had kept his teaching position for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but hated the idea of Sirius being alone at home for the entire term.

When Harry was out of earshot, Remus turned to Sirius. "You're a scary good actor, Padfoot."

"I have no idea what you're talking about Remus," Sirius said with a smirk. "Now if you'll be so kind to cook dinner, I'm going to floo Dumbledore. Supposedly has some important things he needs to tell me."

* * *

"Doesn't look like you have packed very much." Sirius said, leaning against the door frame and smirking at his godson, who was currently lying on his bed reading a quidditch magazine.

Harry sat up and grinned sheepishly. "I… I guess I don't want to… you know, don't want to leave. This has been one of the best summers of my life and I don't want it to end and to… well…"

Sirius crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "I don't want you to leave anymore than you do, this has been one of the best summers of my life too. But this is going to be a great year… I can't tell you the details yet, but you'll see what I mean. Not to mention, it's almost your O.W.L. year, and I can't have you dropping out of school this early."

Harry nodded. "But… what about you?"

"What about me?" Sirius said, giving him a sad, knowing smile.

"What will you do while we're gone? I hate to think-"

"Harry," Sirius said, cutting him off. "I'll be fine. I've found a job, which I think will be good for me. I'll spend all my free time sending you owls and howlers, as well, so I'd venture to say I'll be pretty busy myself."

Harry chuckled but still looked sad. "I'm going to miss you though. I mean, having Remus as a teacher again will be great, he's the best defense teacher we have had, but still. He's not my…"

"What?" Sirius questioned after Harry trailed off.

"It's just… Remus is great, really. He's very knowledgeable and helpful, but he's not my… well, I don't consider him to be like a… like a dad." Harry mumbled, heat rising to his cheeks.

Sirius threw an arm over Harry's shoulders and pulled him closer. Hearing Harry say that meant so much to him, but he couldn't help feeling a little bit of guilt that he was being called that instead of James. "I know, I'm going to miss you a lot too Harry. How about this, I'll give you something before you leave tomorrow okay? It's a way to always talk to me, even when we're far apart. Although I daresay you won't need it this year once you get to Hogwarts."

Harry looked confused and Sirius chuckled and squeezed his shoulder. "Why don't I help you pack kid? Dinner will be cold if we don't hurry and get this done."

The two finished putting Harry's school belongings in his trunk, including his invisibility cloak, the Marauder's Map, the knife Sirius had given him for his birthday, and the photo album of his parents and their friends that Hagrid had given him. They went downstairs to where Remus had cooked a delicious stew. The three sat at the table together, laughing and talking about different things. Finally, when it was almost time for everyone to go to bed and prepare for tomorrow, Sirius spoke up. "Here you go, Harry. This is the thing that I mentioned earlier. Just say my name and I'll be there to talk to you. Also, here's a little something from Remus and I as a back-to-school present."

Harry looked fleetingly at the two-way mirror Sirius had given him, then opened the small box to find a dark leather wand holster engraved with a unique crest on the front. Harry looked up and smiled at them. "What's this crest mean?"

"Ah, that's the Potter Family Crest. I was afraid you wouldn't know what it was, but I figured it would be nice for you to own something with it on there. We expect you to keep your wand in there and the holster on you at all times though, no more mishaps like what happened at the Quidditch World Cup." Sirius said with a smile.

Harry nodded and hugged both of them before heading upstairs to get ready for the day ahead.

* * *

The next morning came very early, and Sirius, Harry and Remus flooed to London to walk to Kings Cross Station. On the way to the station, Sirius would occasionally change into his animagus form and chase squirrels for Harry's amusement; however, there was still a sadness hanging over them both as they approached what Harry thought to be his hardest goodbye.

Finally, they arrived at Platform 9 ¾, and the three ran through the barrier onto the platform. Remus took Harry's luggage to move it onto the train. "I'll be sitting with the teachers if you need me Harry."

Harry nodded, then turned to his godfather. "See you I guess." Harry mumbled.

Sirius leaned down and gave the boy a bear hug. "Be good, kid. Don't worry about me. Trust me, I'm sure you'll hear from me very soon." Harry nodded against his godfather's shoulder before leaving his embrace to meet Ron and Hermione on the train.

Once on board, the three found a compartment and Harry went to look out the window. "That's odd," he mumbled, scanning the crowd.

"What?" Hermione questioned, looking out the window as well.

"It's… it's nothing, I was just going to wave to Sirius. You know, the way most kids do with their parents… but he's not there anymore. I didn't expect him to leave so quickly." Harry mumbled, looking down at his lap.

"Don't worry, mate, I'm sure Sirius will send you an owl within the hour." Ron said, patting him on the shoulder. "Now, Percy says something crazy is going to be happening at Hogwarts this year. The ministry is sponsoring it… what do you think it will be?"

"You know, Sirius hinted at that last night. I'm not sure, but if Percy thinks it's crazy, it's probably not that exciting. He's a bit of a buzzkill." Harry said, smiling at Ron who was scowling.

"Yeah, no kidding. I'm glad he finally graduated, now I don't have to be reminded everyday of my git of a brother." Ron mumbled.

"Oh, Ron, don't say that. If the ministry is going to be at Hogwarts, I hope they don't send that god awful Barty Crouch. I still can't believe how horribly he treated Winky at the Cup!" Hermione exclaimed, petting Crookshanks who sat in her lap.

"More about the house elves! Honestly, that's all I've heard since the Cup." Ron said dramatically, rolling his eyes.

"It's true, Ron, he was terrible. What do you think Harry?" Hermione said, turning to him and clearly expecting him to agree with her opinions on elfish welfare.

"Er-" Harry mumbled, before he was cut off by the trolley witch. "Excuse me dear, I believe someone has sent you the lot of this candy." She said, turning to Harry.

"Someone sent _me_ all of this? Why? I have money, I'll pay for it." Harry said, confused.

"No, no, they insisted." She said with a smile, placing the candy in the compartment. "They wanted me to wish you a great start of term and that they expect you to share it with your friends."

Once she left, the three dug into the food. "Blimey!" Ron exclaimed, shoving chocolate frogs in his mouth. "Someone must like you a lot to send you all of this Harry!"

Harry smiled to himself as he tried a Berty's Every Flavor Bean. "I wish I knew who it was."

"Oh, Harry, it's obvious!" Hermione said with a smile. "It was Sirius!"

"What? How?" Harry asked, confused.

"Well, that explains why he wasn't on the platform where you could see him, right? He was probably at the end of the train buying the candy. Maybe he was trying to buy you all the sweets he missed out on buying the past twelve years? Besides, who else would wish you a good start of term unless they weren't going to be there for your start of term?" Hermione said, shaking her head as if it were obvious.

Harry smiled bigger at her words, thankful to have finally been given a parent figure, and the best one he could have asked for, at that.


	13. News

A few hours later, the train came to a screeching halt at the Hogsmeade station. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took what was left of their candy and walked out onto the platform to board the carriages.

"Firs' years over here!" Hagrid yelled in the distance, waving to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they passed. The three waved back, then maneuvered their way through the pathway to get onto a carriage.

"Have you two heard about Bertha Jorkins and Professor Flitwick?" Hermione said, peering over the students heads at the teacher's carriage.

"Who's Bertha Jorkins?" Harry asked, looking in the same direction Hermione was as the next carriage rolled up.

"She's that ministry witch, right? I heard dad talking about her at the Cup, she's gone missing." Ron said, climbing onto the carriage.

"Right, and Flitwick has supposedly gone missing as well, he disappeared right after she did." Hermione said, joining Ron on the left side of the carriage while Harry took the right.

"Who will teach charms then?" Harry asked, scanning the crowd for the signs of a new teacher.

"No clue," Ron mumbled, looking around as the carriage started to move. "Better be someone good, though. Don't need a repeat of that bloke Lockhart."

"Or Quirrel," Harry mumbled in agreement.

The carriage rumbled on towards the castle, and soon the three were seated in the great hall preparing for the teachers to arrive, along with the first years for their sorting. By this point, most of the students had heard of Flitwick's departure and were trying to guess who would be teaching them this term. The Ravenclaws, Harry noted, appeared most distressed, since Flitwick was also their head of house.

"Leave it to them to be upset that they don't have anyone in charge of them," Ron said, looking bewildered at a second year Ravenclaw who was crying upon hearing the news.

"Oh, but Ron it's awful. It's one thing for a professor to retire, yet another entirely when they go missing." Hermione said, looking compassionately at the table to their right.

Soon the gossip ceased and teachers began to take their places at the head table. Harry began to name them in his head to try and spot out a new face: Snape, Trelawney, Hagrid, Sprout, Lupin, Sirius, Sinistra- wait, Sirius?

Harry craned his neck for a better look, as if to confirm that it was in fact, his godfather sitting at the head table. "Guys!"

"We know," Ron said, looking ecstatic but also equally as bewildered as Harry. "I thought you said-"

"He didn't tell me! He made me believe… oh Merlin, I'm going to kill him," Harry said with a laugh, feeling much more light-hearted now that his godfather was near to him again. Sirius made eye-contact with him and smirked as if to say, "I told you so." Harry beamed back at him before turning his attention to McGonagall as the Sorting Ceremony began.

The sorting began in a normal fashion, until McGonagall reached the name "Ivory, Michelle." Before the girl had the chance to put the hat on, the doors to the Great Hall swung open, and one of the strangest looking men Harry had ever seen walked in. The man had long, sandy-blonde hair, and a fake eye that twirled around menacingly. He also was missing a leg, and had a peg leg made of wood in its place. The students cowered as he passed, but Harry and Hermione looked at him curiously. "Wonder what he's teaching, then?" Harry whispered.

"I dunno," Ron mumbled, "but I'm pretty sure that's Mad-Eye Moody. Dad says he was once brilliant. Dad left home this morning to do something for him, though he didn't go into specifics. He told me that the ministry forced Moody to retire though, so I reckon that's why he's here."

Once Moody reached a seat at the head table, the sorting continued normally. Finally, Professor Dumbledore stood up. "Greetings students, and welcome back to yet another year at Hogwarts. I have some big news before we can begin, so please pay close attention, as I do not wish to deprive you of food for too long. I will begin by introducing you to two of our new professors. The first will be Professor Alastor Moody, who will be assisting Professor Lupin with Defense classes this year, being that neither can make every single class period." Dumbledore cast a knowing look in Harry's direction, and Harry assumed he was talking about Remus's lycanthropy. "Our second professor will be filling in for Professor Flitwick this year, being as he is not able to commit to teaching for the upcoming terms. I introduce you to Professor Sirius Black, who I trust will be a fantastic charms teacher."

The hall immediately filled with applause and chatter. Harry assumed most had read about Sirius's wrongful incarceration by the ministry, but some probably still had prejudices against him. Regardless, Harry clapped the loudest for his godfather, excited to be able to spend more time with him.

"Now that formalities have been met, I have one last announcement. This year, Hogwarts will hold the Triwizard Tournament. This is a chance for students at Hogwarts to meet students from other magical schools. We will host Durmstrang and Beauxbatons Academy this year for the tournament, and one of you will be chosen as the Hogwarts Champion to compete for gold and glory. Now, due to previous experiences with the tournament, the ministry is requiring an age limit for competitors. Students must be of age-" this statement was met with defiance from all years, "to compete. No exceptions. The Goblet of Fire will ensure that you are of age when you place your name into it to compete. I will announce more as the time comes closer, but for now, let's tuck in!" Dumbledore said as food magically appeared in front of everyone.

The feast was one of the best Harry had ever experienced, and the food tasted better than he remembered. He watched Sirius closely, who seemed to be politely listening to Professor Trelawny talk about something. Harry chuckled, thinking about the load of garbage that would be coming out of her mouth and almost felt sympathetic towards his godfather. Before he knew it, though, the feast was over and students were returning to their common rooms. He stood up to follow Ron and Hermione out, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to see Remus and Sirius smiling down at him. "Come with us, Harry," Remus said, leading the way.

"I can't believe you!" Harry said, turning to his godfather. "You made me think this whole time that I wouldn't see you until Christmas."

Sirius smirked and wrapped an arm around his godson's shoulder. "I know, but what would have been the fun in me telling you? Your face was priceless when you noticed me up there. I told Remus to take a picture but he didn't think it would be professional."

"You sent all that candy didn't you?" Harry asked, still dumbfounded.

Sirius barked a laugh in response. "Yep, Moony's idea. Thought it would appear to be a going away present and hey, I couldn't have you spending your own galleons on something as simple as sweets, could I? I hope you didn't eat all that by yourself though, I don't want to be the reason your keep your dorm mates up all night from a sugar high."

Remus chuckled from in front of them, and led them towards the Defense corridor. "These are my sleeping quarters if you ever need anyone, Harry. I'm sure Sirius will show you his next. We just wanted you to know where you can find us if we aren't in our offices. You're welcome to drop by anytime, although, for me at least, the office might be a better place to go." Remus said, patting him on the shoulder as he turned to walk inside his quarters.

Harry and Sirius bid him goodnight and continued on towards the corridor near the charms classroom. When they reached the painting into Sirius's quarters, Sirius showed Harry inside and sat down on a couch in the living room.

"Wow," Harry mumbled, looking through the small flat. "I didn't realize teacher's got all of this. A kitchen, living room, and bedroom? Pretty nice."

Sirius chuckled, "I actually managed to get a second bedroom, considering I have a child here. That one's yours over there, but I expect you'll want to spend most of your time in your dorm."

Harry nodded, then walked over to the couch to sit beside his godfather. "I didn't know you were good at charms?"

"Yeah, I'd say that was one of my strong suits while I was here. Helped me through auror training in the ministry before I was convicted." Sirius said with a shrug.

"So… what's going on with Flitwick then?" Harry asked hesitantly.

Sirius sighed. "Harry, if I knew, I'd tell you. I trust you have heard about Bertha Jorkins disappearance?" Harry nodded and Sirius continued. "Well, she was a girl close to my age at Hogwarts. Didn't have a lot of talent, but definitely enjoyed gossip. She worked in the same ministry department as Ludo Bagman, Arthur said you met him at the Cup, correct?" Harry nodded again. "Right. Well, she has gone missing in Albania and there are rumors that she came into contact with Voldemort. We aren't exactly sure of course, but that's more of a reason for me to be weary for your sake. Anyway, the ministry hasn't done much to search for her, so Albus sent someone after her instead. He chose Professor Flitwick, and Flitwick obliged."

"But he hasn't returned?" Harry asked, looking up at his godfather.

"No, he hasn't, and Dumbledore is concerned that he might not return. That's why I'm here. I don't need the money, but Dumbledore needed a teacher, a confidant, and someone to keep an eye on you." Sirius said with a wink.

Harry smiled, but then another thought crossed his mind. "Why did he send Flitwick? Actually, why did Dumbledore get involved in the first place?"

"I honestly can't tell you his true intentions because he hasn't really told me. I can only guess here, and I'm thinking he sent Flitwick because Flitwick is a brave, clever man, as well as a man of many talents. He's part goblin as well, so that heritage could help him in certain scenarios. Flitwick did his part to fight Voldemort in the past, so I suppose Dumbledore thought him the best for the job. That being said, Flitwick wasn't one of the main people that fought with Dumbledore in the last war. I'll tell you more about that someday, but I have a feeling Dumbledore was trying to allocate his people accordingly, and didn't want to send someone on a potentially fatal mission that he might need in the future." Sirius said, a slight frown playing across his lips.

"That's kind of bad isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, Harry, I don't really know. All I know is Flitwick agreed to do it for everyone's best interest and therefore Dumbledore can't really be blamed for it. As to why Dumbledore got involved, I can only speculate again. I think the ministry is being stubborn and they don't want to admit that things are starting to look… worrisome. They don't want to admit Bertha Jorkins went missing in the last place Voldemort was spotted because that would mean that we have something very scary on our hands, and peace hasn't quite been restored the way they thought it was thirteen years ago. You can see why that would put strain on the ministry, right?"

"Yeah, but-" Harry said, cut off immediately by Sirius.

"Yes, it's wrong, but that's sadly the way politics go. Dumbledore, on the other hand, believes that we do have reason to worry, and was hoping by sending Flitwick to search for her, he would receive answers to some of his questions about Voldemort's whereabouts and what's currently going on. Clearly, that has not gone the way he hoped. I'm not sure where he will go for his next course of action, but I trust him so we will just have to see what happens I suppose." Sirius slung his arm over his godson's shoulder and pulled him close to him. "Now, if I'm correct, you have a big day tomorrow. Double charms bright and early in the morning. Knowing the professor, he won't take kindly to you being late, so you should go back to your common room."

"Great, now I gotta call you Professor, don't I?" Harry mumbled, pushing his godfather off of him.

"Only in the classroom," Sirius said, pulling Harry into a half-nelson and pinning him against the couch. "Any other time you can call me 'The World's Greatest Godfather.'"

"Oh please," Harry said, struggling against the arms binding him to the couch. "More like 'World's Biggest Oaf." He yelped when Sirius began to tickle his sides from behind him and was soon begging for mercy.

"You gotta say the words, kid. Resistance is futile, puppy, haven't you learned anything this summer? Or will I need to embarrass you in class tomorrow to teach you that lesson?" Sirius said jokingly, not letting up on tickling his godson.

"Okay, okay-" Harry tried to breathe out, but was still giggling too hard to form words. "You're… you're the World's G-Greatest Godfather."

Sirius stopped tickling and climbed off his godson. Once Harry was breathing normally again, he reached to push Sirius, but Sirius was too quick. He grabbed both of Harry's arms and pulled him into a hug. "Got something else to say?" He asked with a bark like laugh as Harry struggled against the embrace. Accepting defeat, Harry slumped into the hug and felt his godfather kiss the top of his head before nudging him up off the couch. "Here, I'll walk you to the common room so you aren't stopped by anyone."

The two walked in comfortable silence back to the Gryffindor Common Room before reaching the painting of the Fat Lady. "Ahh, back again, are you Black? I still haven't forgiven you for what you did to my painting last year."

"I apologize, ma'am, but it was necessary. Turning in that rat granted me my freedom and my godson," Sirius said with a fond smile at Harry. He then patted Harry on the shoulder and the two said their goodnights before retiring to their quarters to sleep.


	14. New Lessons

The following morning, The Great Hall was full of chattering students discussing their expected course schedules and watching for their Head of Houses.

"So Hermione, care to explain how you're going to try and take a billion courses again this term?" Ron asked while shoving porridge into his mouth.

"Oh, I'm not actually," Hermione said with a shrug. "After dropping divination, I only needed to let go of one more course to be at the normal workload, so I quit muggle studies. I don't think I'll need it for the future anyway, but I might continue with it for independent study purposes."

"Hermione, how exactly did you make it to your classes last term? We always wondered-" Harry started, before being interrupted by Professor McGonagall.

"Here you go, Mr. Potter, your course schedule. I trust Professor Black will keep an eye on you throughout the mornings." A hint of a smile played at her lips as she handed Hermione and Ron their schedules as well, and Harry got the idea that she too was very happy to hear Sirius had been proven innocent and would be working at Hogwarts.

"Blimey," Harry said as McGonagall moved on to hand out schedules to the fifth year students. "Sirius wasn't joking, we have double charms in the mornings on Mondays."

"Well, isn't that a good thing?" Hermione asked, as she looked through her schedule.

"Yeah, Harry! Our Mondays are going to be great, we've got Care of Magical Creatures after that and then Defense to end the day."

"Tuesday and Thursday is potions though," Harry mumbled. "I'd almost rather have one day of double potions than two days of regular potions. Not to mention, I only get one day with Sirius."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll see him more than that, mate! The bloke really likes you, obviously. He was given his freedom and he accepted this job just to be with you, giving up his days of doing whatever he wants." Ron said, bringing his own attention back to the breakfast foods in front of them.

"Oh, Ron, you never know. He might have wanted to work, right Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry, however, was not listening, as he had just noticed Professor Moody staring at him from the teacher's table.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, following his line of vision.

"Creepy old bloke, isn't he?" Ron asked, looking in the same direction as the other two. "Wonder when our first class with him will be?"

"The full moon is in a few days, I bet we'll have Moody today. Remus is probably getting sick…" Harry said, feeling guilty that he hadn't offered Remus any help last night before he left for Sirius's chambers.

Hermione nodded in understanding before noting the time. "Come on, we'll be late for Sirius if we don't hurry."

* * *

"Good morning Class," Sirius said, striding into the classroom and flicking his wand to open the giant windows. He abruptly turned around and leaned against the front table, flashing a smile at the students that made him look years younger. He was dressed in dashing blue, casual robes that looked like something he might have worn when he was younger, and had his long hair pulled back in a low ponytail. He did, in fact, look the youngest Harry had ever seen him, sporting a clean shave to accentuate his jawline. Harry faintly heard Lavender and Parvati giggle behind him. He snickered as he noticed almost every Gryffindor girl, excluding Hermione, seemed to be hanging onto Sirius's every word as he spoke about summoning charms. He turned around to see if the Ravenclaw girls were equally as enamored with Sirius, when he heard a voice to the left of his desk.

"Mr. Potter, are you paying attention?" Harry practically jumped out of his chair as Sirius raised his eyebrows, lips forming a small smile. Harry felt a blush form as the giggling from all the girls audibly increased. Ron laughed as well and Harry nudged him before taking out his wand and notebook to prepare for the lesson.

"Now that we've gone over the spell, I've hidden multiple different objects throughout the room." Sirius began, walking through the rows of desks. "The list of the objects are on the board and I want you to try and summon these objects to your chairs. The person who summons the most objects will win a chocolate frog, courtesy of Professor Lupin's secret stash of chocolate. Don't mention that to him during your defense classes," He said with a sly smile. "If you want practice with an object directly within your line of vision, I've set up an area in the back where you can do so. I'll be walking around if you need help. Good luck."

Hermione had already summoned three of the objects by the time Ron had managed to reveal a necklace, but he couldn't bring it all the way to the desk. Harry wasn't doing much better, making a cup that had been hidden fly out but, consequently, hit Neville in the back of the head. Most of the girls had flocked to the back of the room where the practice area was, wanting "guidance" from Sirius. Harry stifled a laugh at Lavender's disappointed face when Sirius had quit working with her to help someone else.

By the end of the double charms period, Hermione had successfully summoned twenty-eight of the forty objects Sirius had hidden, winning the chocolate frog and Sirius's praise, as well as receiving jealous gazes from the girls who hadn't been as successful. Harry hung back as the class filed out, telling Ron and Hermione he would meet them at Hagrid's hut.

"What's wrong pup?" Sirius asked, walking over to where Harry was slowly placing his textbook in his bag.

"Well... I'm normally pretty decent in charms, but I couldn't summon anything at all." Harry mumbled looking down.

"Harry, that's alright, hardly anyone beside Hermione did. If you're still having trouble in a few weeks time, I'll work with you, alright? Now, surely you don't look so glum because you didn't move a cup ten feet. Tell me what's really wrong." Sirius said gently, leaning against Harry's desk and looking him in the eye.

"I just… I want to do well in... you know." Harry mumbled, flushing red and looking out the door fleetingly.

"Ah, I see. You know Harry, your father wasn't the best at charms either. I mean, don't get me wrong, James was brilliant. Charms just wasn't his strong suit. Quidditch and transfiguration were, whereas I was better at charms and non-verbal defensive spells. Just because I'm good at this," Sirius gestured to the classroom, "doesn't mean I have any expectations of you. I know you will do your best, and that's all that matters to me. Okay pup?"

Harry nodded and Sirius smiled, patting him on the back. "Alright, you best be getting on then. I'm having tea… well I'll probably drink a brandy, but anyway, I'm going to Moony's tonight after lessons to see him since he's getting weaker. Join us so we can hear about your first day."

Harry nodded and bid goodbye to Sirius before running off to join the rest in Care of Magical Creatures, where he was met with an unpleasant sight.

"Ah, Harry! Just in time. I was showin' the class the project for the year." Hagrid said, placing a strong hand on Harry's shoulder. "Blast-ended Skrewts, I bred 'em meself."

Harry watched in astonished horror as the ugly creatures oozed and shot fire at his classmates. "Hagrid… what exactly are we doing with these things?"

"You're raisin' 'em! I can' exactly do it meself, so I thou' it would make a good project." Hagrid said, beaming at Harry. Harry attempted to smile back, but it turned into a grimace as one of the skrewts began moving too close for comfort. "Well get on, Ron 'n Hermione need your help!" Hagrid pushed him over to his friends and the three of them attempted to avoid injury throughout the class period, occasionally guiding one of the skrewts over near the Slytherins.

* * *

After an _almost_ injury-free class period, the Gryffindors and Slytherins walked to the Defense Corridor for their first class with Moody. The students sat down and waited for Moody to arrive.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE." A strangled voice yelled, walking out from the circular office above the classroom. "That is the most important lesson I will teach you in this class. Understood?"

Murmurs of "yes professor" rang throughout the classroom as Moody clunked down the stairs and to the blackboard. "Good. Now, who can tell me what the Unforgivable Curses are?"

Hermione timidly put her hand in the air, clearly uncomfortable with the question. Other students tensed at Moody's mentioning of the curses, but didn't dare speak.

"Miss Grainger?" Moody rasped, walking to her.

"The unforgivable curses are three of the worst spells that can be used on a wizard. They're illegal, and the user will be sent to Azkaban if caught."

"That's correct," Moody mumbled, clunking back to the front where he had a jar containing a spider. Ron looked at the jar wearily, and Harry knew his friend was probably terrified of Moody's lesson.

"The Ministry doesn't believe you should know about the Unforgivable Curses as fourth year students, but I think otherwise. You need to be prepared for what's out there. So, I'll begin with the Imperius, or the curse to control someone."

The class began to laugh as Moody made the spider do cartwheels and hop from desk to desk. "Yeah, you think that's funny do you? What if I…" Moody moved the Spider above fire, "burned him alive?" The class immediately went silent.

"Drowned him?" Moody mumbled, bringing the spider above a caldron of water. "Caused him to kill someone?" He said, throwing the spider on the desk in front of Ron, who immediately yanked his hand away. "Yeah, not so funny, is it? This curse can be used to make someone kill their own child. It's not a laughing manner. Understood?"

The class nodded, the majority looking back down at their laps. "Next curse… perhaps, Mr. Longbottom, you can help me with it?" Neville looked terrified at the idea, but stood nonetheless and walked to the front. "What's the name of the curse, boy?"

"Th-the.. The cruciatus. The torture curse" Neville mumbled, cringing at the name.

Moody nodded thoughtfully before yelling "crucio" at the small spider. It immediately began to seize, and Neville looked close to tears after a few moments watching.

"STOP IT." Hermione yelled. " STOP IT. CAN'T YOU SEE IT'S BOTHERING HIM."

Moody looked at Neville like he just noticed he was standing there. "Right. Crucia." The spider stopped flailing, but remained twitching on the table and Neville stood staring at it. "Perhaps, Mrs. Grainger, you can tell me the last curse." Moody said, moving towards their desk.

Hermione shook her head, tears filling her eyes.

"Ah. Mr. Potter? Do you know the last one?" Moody asked, turning on him.

Harry, taken aback at being called on, shook his head. "No sir, I don't." The class immediately began murmuring, clearly surprised that Harry didn't know the curse.

"Well, I suppose you should, considering you're the only one known to have survived it." Moody mumbled, turning back to the twitching spider at the front of the room. "Avada kedavra," He said, as a flash of green light shot from his wand and killed the spider. Harry stared at where the spider laid, not sure how to feel about seeing the spell that took his parents from him.

* * *

"Harry!" Remus said cheerfully as Harry walked into his living quarters. Harry managed a weak smile, then sat in a chair across from Sirius and Remus, who were on the couch. Both of them immediately frowned, and Sirius leaned forward. "What's wrong kiddo? I saw you less than twelve hours ago and I thought you left my room feeling happy. Did something else happen?"

Harry nodded, not meeting either of their gazes. "What?" Lupin finally questioned, summoning a cup of warm butterbeer for Harry.

"You can do that charm too?" Harry huffed, causing Sirius to bark a laugh. "Come on pup, it was your first day, you'll get the summoning charms. Now tell us what's wrong."

Harry didn't really want to bring up Moody's lesson again, but knew they wouldn't stop asking if he didn't explain it. "Well, Professor Moody er… he taught us something today. I don't really know why it bothered me, but I wasn't the only one uncomfortable, no one was really talking or anything either. Neville in particular got upset…"

"Just tell us, Harry. If Moody's doing something wrong-" Remus started, being cut off by Harry.

"Don't tell anyone. I don't want to be the reason something happens to Moody." Harry mumbled.

This did nothing to comfort Sirius or Remus, and both of their facial expressions grew concerned. "Harry, Moody will be fine and more than likely not be sacked for a bad lesson plan. But if we know, we can talk to him about making it more appropriate for the rest of the year. Just tell us what's got you bothered." Sirius said, moving to kneel in front of Harry.

"He… he taught us about the unforgivable curses." Harry said, not meeting his godfather's gaze.

Sirius stood and pinched the bridge of his nose as if deep in thought. "Oh Harry…" He started.

"He showed us the imperius with a spider and then… then the cruciatus, and that's where Neville got really upset. Hermione yelled at Moody for upsetting Neville, so then he asked her if she knew the last one. I think she did, but she didn't want to say it… so then he asked me…" Harry said, trailing off.

Sirius and Remus were both looking at him. "No one ever told you how they were murdered, have they?" Remus mumbled.

Harry shook his head. "No, but I've seen the green light in my nightmares… I recognized it immediately when he killed the spider he was using."

Sirius pulled Harry up and hugged him, rubbing his back and stroking his free hand through his hair. No one said anything for a few minutes and Harry stayed wrapped up in Sirius's embrace, unmoving.

Remus began to write something down, and after five minutes, he finally spoke up. "Don't worry, Harry. Moody and I will… discuss some things about our lesson plans this year. He shouldn't have shown you guys that dark magic, especially since you can't really… defend yourself from those spells. I mean, there are exceptions of course, but… well it's N.E.W.T. level stuff, so there was no reason for him to simply show you them at all. As soon as the full moon's over..." He trailed off, but Harry nodded his understanding, then looked up at his godfather, who was smiling down at him.

"Here," Sirius said, moving Harry back into his chair. "I'm going to get some food, why don't you tell Moony about the more enjoyable parts of your first day?"

"Like how funny it was to watch the girls in class swoon over 'Professor Black?'" Harry said, smiling at his godfather's amused expression.

"Or you could tell him how I had to reprimand you for not paying attention," Sirius said, ruffling Harry's hair as he moved toward the kitchen.

Remus chuckled, "Now that sounds like an interesting story."

Harry smiled and told him about the rest of his first day, then listened to both Sirius and Remus's own Hogwart's stories for the rest of the evening, feeling the best he had all day.


	15. The Goblet of Fire

"Attention," Dumbledore called out to the great hall, quieting the four house tables immediately. "It is time to talk more about the Triwizard Tournament. Today, we will be bringing out the Goblet of Fire. I will use age-restriction charms to secure the area so that only those that are of age will be able to place their name in the goblet. To those that are considering competing: this is not a decision to take lightly. People have been injured severely in the past, so be sure that you are absolutely ready to make sacrifices in the name of glory and honor." Dumbledore smiled knowingly at the crowd before gesturing at Filch, who was carrying in the Goblet of Fire.

It had been a few weeks since the students had arrived and school had been going relatively well for Harry. He had started to get the hang of summoning charms, but still did not have it as well as Hermione and the Ravenclaw students. Sirius promised to work with him during weekends to improve and told him not to stress about learning it just yet. During his free time, Harry hung out with Ron and Hermione or visited Sirius, Remus, and Hagrid. Sirius would often take him out to the quidditch pitch on the weekends to practice flying since the tournament canceled quidditch for the year. Harry treasured every moment spent with his godfather and tried to spend as much time with him as possible. If Sirius minded this, he didn't show it, and equally sought Harry's company throughout the weeks.

"Now that the Goblet of Fire is in place, I will inform you that our guests will be arriving this Friday, so classes will be cut short after lunch. I expect each of you to arrive and give our guests a proper Hogwarts welcome. The Goblet of Fire will choose the Champion's that evening, once everyone has placed their name inside it." Dumbledore then stepped down from the podium and The Great Hall immediately grew loud with chatter about the tournament.

"Wonder how we can get around that age limit?" Fred whispered to George across from Harry.

"You can't," Hermione said, amused. "You really think Dumbledore will make it so you two can get past that line? If you two could figure it out, anyone could enter."

"Oi, you of little faith. Just wait and see, we'll figure it out." George said, winking at Harry.

"Well if you do, let us know. I'd love the chance to compete." Ron said to his brothers excitedly.

Hermione scowled and then stood up. "And where are you going?" Ron asked.

"To potions of course, Snape won't be happy if we're late." Hermione snapped, walking out of the Great Hall.

* * *

The week passed by quickly and before anyone realized, it was Friday and the foreign schools were arriving that evening. Most of the Hogwarts students that wanted to compete had placed their names in the Goblet of Fire, with a few younger kids (Fred and George included) failing miserably in their attempts. Because they had double charms on Monday mornings, Harry, Ron, and Hermione did not have lessons that Friday, so they chose to go visit Hagrid.

"Can' wait to see the other schools, can ya?" Hagrid said, placing down his infamous rock cakes in front of the three once they had gotten inside.

"Do you know much about Durmstrang and Beauxbatons?" Hermione asked, politely taking a rock cake but then feeding it to Fang discreetly.

"No, 'm afraid I don', but they're supposed ter be bringin' me some beautiful creatures. 'M excited bout that. What abou you three? Aren' you excited for the tournament?" Hagrid asked, gesturing towards the arena that was being built on the grounds for the first task.

They nodded, looking out at the arena as well. "I wonder who the Hogwart's Champion will be?" Hermione asked, looking out the window in awe.

"Whoever it is, I hope they're good. This is the first tournament in ages, it'd be terrible if we lost." Ron said dramatically, causing Harry to laugh and Hermione to scowl at him before she politely picked up another rock cake for Fang.

* * *

Soon the sun was setting against the horizon, and the students were lined up outside to greet their foreign peers. Harry was standing with the fourth year Gryffindor's, McGonagall and Sirius in front of them counting them off. Harry still hadn't gotten used to seeing Sirius in such a formal setting, and snickered at him in his Gryffindor dress robes. Sirius noticed this and smirked back before returning his attention to McGonagall counting off the first years.

After about thirty more minutes of anticipation, one second year Hufflepuff spotted the first sign of a school arriving. Far back in the sky, a large blue carriage was coming towards Hogwarts, being pulled by gigantic flying stallions. The teacher's rushed to greet what Harry assumed to be Beauxbatons and Hagrid immediately took to caring for the Stallions as the French students walked inside to enter their names in the Goblet of Fire and find seats.

Almost immediately following the French's entrance, the second school was spotted. Durmstrang traveled by ship and came splashing out of the Hogwarts lake. Students yelled and shouted their surprise as the teacher's repeated their welcoming gesture of greeting the headmaster. Once those students had been escorted inside to insert their own names, the Hogwarts students were allowed to join them.

Everyone settled into their house tables and the teachers sat up at the head table with the two new headmasters. Hagrid sat close to the Beauxbatons headmaster and Harry noticed how large she was compared to the normal teachers - she was even taller than Hagrid! He couldn't help but notice how excited Hagrid seemed to find someone similar to himself, and smiled. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Hagrid.

Harry's thought process was interrupted as Dumbledore stood to give his speech. "Greetings to our foreign guests of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. We welcome you to Hogwarts and hope that you will enjoy your time with us. So as not to deprive us of our feast, let's go ahead and do what I'm sure we've all been waiting for. The selection of the champions!"

Hushed whispers came across the students as the Goblet of Fire turned blue and spit out a name. "The Durmstrang Champion is… Victor Krum!" Dumbledore announced to cheering from all the students.

"Blimey, Harry! He played in the Cup this summer! It's Victor Krum!" Ron looked so excited he might faint, and Harry couldn't help but chuckle at his bewildered expression.

Before Harry could retort, the Goblet of Fire turned blue once more, and a second name shot out. "The Beauxbaton's Champion will be… Fleur Delacour!"

Harry watched as an extremely beautiful French girl emerged from the crowd, walking up towards the champion waiting room and, not to Harry's surprise, giving Sirius a particularly kind smile on her way.

The Goblet of Fire turned blue once more and out popped a third name. The room was very tense; this would be who would bring Hogwarts the glory. "The Hogwarts Champion will be… Cedric Diggory!" Dumbledore announced with a smile, gesturing for Cedric to follow the other champions to the waiting room. Cedric stood to a roaring applause from almost every student and teacher and disappeared through the door to the champion's quarters.

"Ah, yes, and now that that's sorted-" Dumbledore was cut off by the Goblet of Fire blazing blue once more. The Great Hall immediately quieted as everyone turned an astonished eye to the cup. A fourth paper shot out from the goblet and Dumbledore grabbed it, then gulped before whispering, "Harry Potter."

Harry froze in his seat, not meeting anyone's gaze. No, how? He wasn't old enough, he hadn't even attempted to put his name in the goblet. But everyone was staring, waiting for him to get up and meet his destiny.

"Harry," Dumbledore said, slight impatience in his voice. Hermione nudged him up and Harry stumbled towards the waiting room, feeling terribly anxious. Dumbledore looked at him kindly but wearily and as Harry approached the teacher's table, he received a concerned look from Remus. What worried him most of all, however, was that his godfather had his face buried in his hands and wouldn't look up. Harry shakily opened the doors to the Champion's room and stepped inside.

"What iz it, do zey want us back?" Fleur asked, approaching Harry. Before Harry could respond, the doors reopened and the three headmasters, along with McGonagall, Sirius, Remus, Moody, and Snape, walked inside.

"Harry," Dumbledore said gently, but urgently. "Did you put your name in the goblet?"

"No, I promise I didn't," Harry said, begging Dumbledore to believe him. Dumbledore nodded, but the Beauxbatons headmistress spoke up. "Surely he iz lying, Dumblydore."

Sirius walked up to Harry. His features looked angry and at first Harry was worried the anger was directed at him; however, when he looked into his godfather's eyes, he saw the same familiar expression of love and knew, deep down, that things would be okay. Sirius put an arm around Harry and Remus walked and stood on Harry's other side, waiting to hear what Dumbledore had to say.

"Yes," Snape drawled, capturing the attention of the room. "Potter does seem to have an affinity for… breaking the rules."

Sirius tensed and was about to snap back at Snape, but Dumbledore beat him to it. "Severus," Dumbledore warned. "I believe Harry, and he could not have placed his name in it, by himself at least. And… I'm afraid after talking to the Barty Crouch… Harry has to compete."

Everyone in the room, especially Sirius and Remus, began to protest. The other schools were angry that they did not get two champions, and McGonagall was practically in tears over the thought of a child competing in such a dangerous competition. Harry stood silent, looking at his feet, trying to tune out everything. It was all too much to think about.

Dumbledore silenced them all with a wave of his hand. "Trust me, I am no happier about this than any of you. But there's no way out of it, he's under binding magical contract. He has to compete. Harry," Dumbledore said, turning to him. "You'll give it your best?"

Harry nodded and felt Sirius squeeze his shoulder.

"Alright then," Dumbledore said, turning to everyone else. I suppose we should get back out there and take care of the feast. Sirius, Remus… why don't you two take Harry tonight?"

Harry felt Sirius lead him out a different door, and soon the three were walking down the corridors towards Sirius's room. They all remained silent until they reached the painting and Sirius gave his password. Once inside, Sirius lead Harry over to the couch and sat him down.

"Something you want to tell me?" He asked sternly, searching his godson's eyes for any implication of a lie.

"Wha- you don't believe me?" Harry squeaked out, shocked that his godfather would even question him.

Sirius surprisingly smiled, and then nodded. "I do believe you, Harry, I just wanted to be sure. Now, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you I'm not worried. I'm very scared, Harry. Things are getting strange, and I don't think your name is in there by coincidence or practical joke. Someone wants you killed, and I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you, okay puppy?"

Harry nodded and looked back down at the floor, weighing the meaning of Sirius's words. "Harry, look at me." Sirius mumbled, meeting Harry's green eyes as he said it. "You're going to make me proud, kid." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Sirius had total confidence in Harry's ability, and it made him feel a million times better at being forced into the situation.

Harry threw himself into his godfather's embrace and felt Sirius began to rub his back soothingly.

Despite the severity of the situation, Remus smiled from where he was standing in the corner. "Since we missed the feast, I'll call for the house elves to bring some food out." Sirius didn't let go of Harry, but nodded in Remus's direction. He was scared to let go of Harry, worried that when he did, the situation would be too real. His godson, practically his own son, would have to compete in one of the most dangerous tournaments in the wizarding world. His small, young, fourteen year old boy would be competing against kids with about three years of experience on him. His chances of dying were not only increased by his age, but also, Sirius was convinced, because someone was after him.

* * *

"You handled that better than I had expected you to," Remus said to Sirius after Harry had gone back to his dorm. "I thought you were either going to yell at Harry or threaten Dumbledore."

"Well, at first I was angry with Harry. I thought he had done it… that would have been just like James, he would have been arrogant enough to think he could compete in that competition at fourteen... of course, I would have done the same thing. James and I both loved that kind of glory at his age." Sirius paused, a pained expression on his face. "Then, I reminded myself that Harry is not his father, and though they are similar, attention is where they differ. Harry hates his fame, and he would never have done that on purpose. He's not going to want any of the attention he's going to get, good or bad. It will be a tough year for him. Hopefully the Gryffindor's will be civil-"

Before Sirius could finish his thought, Harry had stormed back through the portrait hole of Sirius's quarters, looking angrier than Sirius had ever seen him. They watched him pace back and forth for a few minutes before he finally spoke up. "Can I stay in my room here? I know I said I wanted to go back to the dorm, but… I've changed my mind. I'll go back tomorrow."

"Of course, Harry." Sirius said, getting up and walking to him. "Can I ask why the abrupt change in heart?"

Harry looked down and mumbled something. "What's wrong, kiddo?" Remus said, joining the two in the entryway.

"It's Ron," Harry said at last, still looking angry but accepting his guardian's concern. "He doesn't believe me. He thinks I entered myself… I just thought my best mate would… well, you know."

Sirius and Remus both nodded in understanding before moving back to the living room to try and talk with Harry. "What exactly did Ron say?" Remus asked, sitting to Harry's right and looking at him. Sirius sat down in the arm chair opposite the two.

"At first I thought he was joking… he asked me why I didn't tell my best mate how to enter… then he accused me of wanting attention. I didn't ask for this though! I didn't ask for any of this, the scar, my parents dying, being abused-" Harry stopped abruptly from his rant and looked down, flushing red. He still didn't like to talk about his aunt and uncle and he had just blurted his feelings out without even thinking.

Sirius and Remus shared a look and then turned back to Harry. "I'm sorry all this is happening to you, Harry. It's not fair, but you know what?" Sirius asked, moving over to join Remus and Harry on the couch. "You're a great person and Ron is going to miss having you around soon. He'll realize his mistake, and he'll believe you. Just give it time. Until then, you know we're both always here for you, right?"

Harry nodded but kept looking down at the floor. "I don't want pity," he mumbled. "What if I get hurt badly in the tournament? Everyone will think I-"

"To hell with what they think," Sirius said, throwing an arm around Harry and ignoring Remus's eye roll. "What matters is that we'll get you through this. I already told Dumbledore we're helping you, rules be damned. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, pup."

"Nor will I," Remus added, smiling down at Harry, who was now snuggling up to Sirius's side, clearly emotionally exhausted.

They stayed like that for a few minutes before Sirius realized Harry had fallen asleep. "Poor kid," he murmured, looking down at Harry's first peaceful expression of the day. "He's right, it's always him with these kind of things."

Remus nodded and stroked Harry's bangs off his forehead. "Well if anyone can do it, he can. Think of all that he's been through, he's incredible. And with two great mentors like us, nothing can go wrong."

Sirius chuckled, then attempted to get up. Harry's dead weight on top of him made it impossible for him to move without disturbing the boy, so Sirius sighed and summoned two blankets and a pillow over to the couch. He readjusted himself so he was lying on his back and Harry was under his arm with his head resting on Sirius's chest.

Remus stood up and smiled at the two, then said, "We could wake him up and move him, you know."

"We could," Sirius replied, closing his eyes and pulling Harry closer, "but I want to hang on to this moment. Who knows what the future holds? You can stay here in Harry's room if you'd like Remus, we can get breakfast and walk around the grounds tomorrow since it's Saturday. I have a feeling Harry will need all the support he can get if Ron's not talking to him. I hope Hermione will treat him better."

Remus nodded, despite Sirius's eyes being closed, then silently walked into Harry's room to get ready for bed himself.


	16. The First Task

-A/N: Please review! I love hearing advice and feedback. How do you guys like Sirius as a character? Am I making him too emotional? I think that's one of the things that appealed to me in the books, was that Sirius always remained strong and brave, but made his care for Harry evident in his actions. Tell me what you think! Anything that didn't happen in the books between Sirius and Harry or Remus and Harry that you want to see? Thanks-

Just as Sirius had predicted, things had been very difficult for Harry in the weeks following the Goblet of Fire's debut. Most of the Gryffindor's were excited about having Harry compete, but the other houses, Slytherin and Hufflepuff in particular, had been very hateful. Malfoy and his cronies had created magical banners that flashed "Diggory is our man," and "Potter Stinks." The Hufflepuffs, who were normally very kind to Harry, took to wearing the badges and pushing Harry in the hallways to watch him stumble. Despite this, Cedric was very kind to Harry, often apologizing for his friends.

Even though Ron wasn't talking to him, Hermione was still there for Harry, often eating in the Great Hall with him and keeping him company in the evenings. Harry appreciated knowing that he had one friend he could count on, but couldn't help missing Ron. Ron added humor to the group, and frankly, going to the library every afternoon with Hermione was getting old.

Sirius and Remus were constantly looking out for him too, and deducting house points from anyone who purposely bullied Harry, despite being accused of favoritism by the other students.

Summer changed to fall, the weather grew crisp, and the first task was approaching. One week before the task, Harry had no idea what he was facing and was equally terrified to find out. He was expressing this concern to Hermione at breakfast when a large barn owl flew into the Great Hall and dropped a letter on Harry's plate.

"Who would be writing to me? My guardian's live here and I don't have any friends outside of school." Harry mumbled, attempting to pull the parchment out of the envelope.

"Who's it from?" Hermione asked when Harry had pulled out the letter, looking over his shoulder to read it as well.

"It's from Hagrid, he wants me to meet him on the grounds tonight at ten, says he has something to show me. Wants me to bring my cloak." Harry looked at Hermione questioningly, then up at the teacher's table, where Hagrid was smiling at him.

"Are you going to?" Hermione whispered, turning her attention back to the odd letter.

"Yeah, I trust Hagrid. If he asks me to come so late at night and risk me getting into trouble, he has a reason." Harry shrugged then turned back to eating his porridge, mind heavy with the looming idea of the first task.

* * *

At nine forty-five, Harry snuck out of the Gryffindor common room and walked out onto the grounds. He had told Hermione and Sirius he was going out, and Sirius requested that he come to his quarters immediately after and share what Hagrid would tell him.

He saw Hagrid outside of his hut looking around. Harry thought it was a bit silly that Hagrid was looking for him when he had asked him to wear the cloak, but walked up to him nonetheless.

"Hagrid," Harry whispered, startling the man.

"Oi, Harry, I didn't 'ear ya. Follow me…" Hagrid said, leading Harry towards the Forbidden Forest. All of Harry's experiences with the forest flashed through his mind and he tried to push away any negative thoughts. He just wished he knew Hagrid's plans.

Before Harry could ask him, Hagrid shouted out. "Madame Maxime! How are ya?"

Harry jumped as the large lady came up behind him, and he barely moved out of the way in time to avoid her large gait.

So this is what Hagrid wanted? To introduce him to his new girlfriend? Harry was tempted to sneak away, but then Hagrid spoke up again. "Alright then, this way. I want ter show ya somethin'."

Harry followed them to the large arena that the First Task was to be held in, and peered inside. His breath caught when he saw a large amount of fire spiraling at them. When Madame Maxime had moved far enough away, Harry took off the cloak. "DRAGONS? You've got to be joking!"

"Oi, Harry, you'll be fine. Trus' me, Dragons are misunderstood creatures." Hagrid said, smiling at a particularly ferocious black one. "That there is the Hungarian Horntail. I feel bad for the one of you who has to fight it."

Harry leapt back as the Horntail shot fire in their general direction and shook his head. "I'm in over my head, I can't do this."

Hagrid, however, was no longer listening, and had returned his attention back to Madame Maxime. Harry, having seen enough, left to the castle to tell Sirius.

* * *

"Dragons, Sirius! Why couldn't it have been a unicorn? Actually, I think I would take the basilisk over this one." Harry said, flopping down beside his godfather on the couch.

Sirius frowned, but spoke with confidence. "We can handle dragons, Harry. There's a simple spell you can use that should get you through the task smoothly. I'm more concerned at finding who has put you in this danger in the first place."

"Can you teach me the spell?" Harry asked, perking up slightly.

"Of course I will, pup. But it's a charm so you'll need to work hard on it," Sirius said, chuckling at his godson's exasperated face.

"Well… maybe I won't get burned alive then. We need to start soon, though, the task is in a week." Harry mumbled, looking down.

Sirius ruffled his hair. "We'll start right now if you would like. I promised you I would keep you safe and I don't plan to go back on that promise."

Harry smiled up at him and nodded. They set to work for the rest of the evening on the conjunctivitis curse, which would supposedly cause temporary blindness of the dragon and save Harry.

* * *

During break the following day, Harry actively sought out Cedric, wanting to warn him about the dragons as well, since he was sure Madame Maxime had told Fleur. He found him out in the middle of the castle courtyard, surrounded by his friends.

"Cedric," Harry said, ignoring the jeers from his friends. "A word, now please."

Cedric looked back at his friends once before nodding and walking over to an empty corner. "What is it, Harry?"

"Dragons. That's the first task." Harry said simply, meeting Cedric's astounded gaze.

"Dragons?" Cedric asked, looking skeptical. "You're sure?"

"Yes, I saw them." Harry said, determined to make Cedric understand the severity of the task.

Cedric nodded thoughtfully, then turned back to Harry. "Why are you telling me?"

Harry shrugged. "I mean, someone showed me, and I saw Maxime and Karkaroff near the area, so I didn't want you to be the only one that didn't know."

After a moment of contemplation, Cedric smiled. "Thanks Harry, I appreciate it." Harry nodded back to him before turning to walk away. He saw his godfather, Remus, and Moody talking to one another across the courtyard and watching him. He considered going to talk to them, but Cedric grabbed his arm. "Oh, and Harry? I wanted you to know, I've told my friends to stop wearing the badges Malfoy made. They aren't funny."

Harry nodded at him again before turning to go to his next class. As he was walking out the courtyard, he heard Malfoy jeer at him. "Hey Potter, going to run to daddy's room and cry about the First Task, are you? Oh wait, that's right, Black isn't your dad. You haven't got one."

Harry turned around and saw Sirius stand up from the other side of the courtyard, probably intending to break up the fight before it started. Ignoring him, Harry stepped closer to Malfoy. "Hmm, Draco, funny you should say that, considering you're the biggest daddy's boy in this entire school. Heard you've sent him at least twelve letters in the last week."

Harry turned to walk away and briefly heard Draco shout something before he screamed. Harry turned immediately to see a small, white ferret being bounced up and down by Professor Moody. Harry looked to Sirius and Remus who were making no attempt to stop Moody and, instead, laughing at the small ferret. Harry laughed too and watched as Malfoy was forced into Goyle's pants. "That will teach you, never point your wand at someone who's turned away from you." Moody growled.

"Alastor!" McGonagall yelled, running up to the scene. "Is that a student?"

Harry didn't stick around to hear the conversation, and was happy to see Malfoy get some form of payback. He found Hermione in the corridor, and they walked together to History of Magic, with Harry feeling surprisingly lighthearted.

* * *

"You're doing fine, Harry, this is a difficult task," Sirius said soothingly, watching Harry slump down against the corner of the defense classroom after messing up the conjunctivitis curse again. Remus had offered them the classroom to prepare for the first task, which was subsequently, tomorrow.

"You're wasting your time, the boy is no good at charms." A gruff voice said from the doorway.

Sirius sighed. "You're not helping Moody."

"He's right though, I'm rubbish at them." Harry mumbled, looking up at the ceiling. Sirius went to sit beside him on the floor, and Moody spoke up again.

"I might have a solution. It involves a summoning charm though, which I've heard the boy struggles with as well." Harry huffed in response and Sirius shot Moody a 'get on with it' look.

"Potter, what are you good at?" Moody questioned, leaning against a desk in the room.

"He's great at lots of things, Moody, and if you're just going to insult my godson then-"

"I'm good at quidditch," Harry spoke up, interrupting his godfather. "But I'm not allowed a broom."

"But you're allowed a wand." Moody said simply, before clunking back out the room.

Sirius looked thoughtful for a second, and then nodded. "It could work actually… blimey, that's brilliant. Harry, go get your firebolt. Time to perfect that summoning charm."

* * *

The morning of the first task came too early for Harry, who had been up all night working on summoning charms with Sirius. He had returned to Sirius's quarters instead of the dorm, so his godfather could ensure that he didn't oversleep and got enough food that morning.

"Ready pup?" Sirius asked as Harry walked into the living room. Harry shrugged and slumped down on the couch, picking up a piece of toast.

Sirius placed a hand on his shoulder gently, "you'll do fine, just think about where you are keeping your Firebolt and it will come to you."

Harry nodded, trying to believe his godfather's words of comfort, but not able fight off the huge bout of anxiety that had overtaken him since the previous evening. He had, in fact, perfected the summoning charm. However, he had only managed to do it from fifty meters away, and the firebolt would be in his bedroom in Sirius's quarters, which was a much greater distance from the arena than fifty meters. Harry sighed and nibbled on his toast, hoping the day would hurry up and pass by.

* * *

"Alright you four, it's time to pick your dragons. I have tiny replicas of each of the dragons in here, and they've got numbers around their necks, which is the order you will compete in." Ludo Bagman said. "We'll go in order of oldest to youngest. Victor," Bagman passed the black bag to Krum, who pulled out a red dragon that Crouch referred to as the Chinese Fireball. The small dragon had a three around his neck. Next Bagman passed the bag to Fleur, who pulled out a Common Welsh Green with the number two. Cedric went next, pulling out the Swedish Short-Snout with a number one. That left…

"The Hungarian Horntail," Bagman said, beaming at Harry when he pulled it out. "Well, good luck everyone. We'll come speak with you afterward!"

The judges left the champion tent and Harry looked in horror at the small black dragon in his hand. It pounced around and then blasted fire at Harry's thumb. Harry recoiled before placing it on the desk by his chair. He sat and waited to meet his destiny, barely listening to the crowd cheering as Cedric was called up to fight his dragon. All he could think about was last night with Sirius, how much Sirius seemed to care for him. He stayed up all night to practice a charm with him, for no reason other than because he wanted to keep Harry safe. Now Harry was about to fight the most ferocious dragon in the tournament, and he couldn't help thinking that Sirius's assistance might have been in vain.

* * *

"You know, that conjunctivitis curse didn't exactly work the way I had expected it to when Victor did it," Sirius said with a frown. "I'm glad Harry decided to take a different route."

Remus nodded. "I'm impressed with Cedric's transfiguration, a rock into a living creature? Very advanced indeed. Shame it didn't work that well either. I wonder what dragon Harry will be going up against?"

Before Sirius could offer a response, a load roar sounded through the air, and both Sirius and Remus looked into the arena with horror. "A horntail! A damned, godforsaken horntail!" Sirius shouted, looking out at the angry mother dragon.

"Sirius!" Remus said, trying to get his friend's attention. "You've got to calm down-"

"No, Moony! It's a horntail, my boy is going against a damn horntail, the most dangerous dragon… who's bloody idea was it to bring one of those…" Sirius acted as if he were about to stand up and take Harry far away from there, but then Ludo Bagman's voice began the introduction of the fourth champion, and Sirius slumped back down in his chair. He looked defeated. Remus could have sworn he heard Sirius whimper "my baby" under his breath and his heart ached in pain for him. Sirius was never one to show emotion or affection, but ever since he had gotten Harry back, he had devoted his life to him. Harry was Sirius's world, and Remus couldn't begin to imagine his level of anxiety at seeing what his godson was facing. Remus, of course, had his anxieties as well, being a partial guardian of Harry; however, he knew of the strong type of bond Sirius and Harry shared, and put a hand on his friend's shoulder in silent support.

"Sirius, just remember, all of these dragons are dangerous, but Harry is strong. He'll be fine." As Remus said this, the small boy walked out of the cave leading into the arena and surveyed the area. Sirius's breath caught and he silently begged for the spell to work the way it had the night before.

* * *

"Accio Firebolt!" Harry shouted, thinking of his firebolt laying on the bed in Sirius's quarters. He kept his eyes on the large dragon that was eyeing him hungrily, and listened hard for any sound indicating that his one saving grace would be arriving.

The Horntail began to get impatient, and starting inching towards Harry, clearly curious as to what the small boy might do. Harry took a step back, fearful that the dragon would try and shoot fire. All of the sudden the Horntail reared and Harry jumped out of the way of the flames. He heard gasps, but he just sat there, behind a rock, waiting for a broomstick that might not arrive on time.

Just as he began to lose hope, he saw it; the Firebolt flew straight at him and Harry didn't think twice. He jumped on it and kicked off into the air. He heard the cheers in the crowd and did a circle around the stadium, watching the dragon closely. He looked down at the teacher's section and saw Sirius whooping for him, ecstatic, and Harry couldn't help but feel proud that he had mastered the first charm Sirius had taught him. He also found he was no longer frightened of the task; no, this was just like a quidditch game and the golden egg was his snitch.

The roar of the dragon took him out of his reverie, and he immediately began swooping in and out of the stadium, trying to lure the dragon away from the egg. The dragon attempted to shoot fire at him, but he managed to dodge most of the attacks, barely getting scraped on the shoulder in one narrow miss by its spiky tail.

Finally, after about five minutes of dodging flames, Harry knew what he had to do. He had to make the dragon fly after him. He taunted her, flying just out of her reach to make her angry. She screeched and reared, but did nothing to chase him. _Come on,_ Harry thought desperately, _just come after me._

As if she had read his mind, the dragon finally shot up into the air, intending to get rid of the nuisance that was trying to disturb her eggs. Harry was too quick though, and plummeted straight down, grabbing the golden egg and swiftly flying out of the arena to safety.

* * *

"Did you see him, Moony! The way he swerved and dodged that fire, it was incredible!"

Remus smiled at Sirius's excitement as the two walked swiftly to the champion's entrance with Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Moody.

"And his flying skills, I always knew he was great, but wow… I daresay he's a better flyer than James was his seventh year. Harry!" Sirius yelled opening his arms as the boy ran to them and hugging him tightly.

"That was brilliant, Mr. Potter!" McGonagall said, smiling at Sirius and Harry.

"You were great, 'Arry," Hagrid beamed. "An' against tha Horntail too, I can' believe-"

"Thanks Hagrid," Harry said, cutting him off so he wouldn't accidentally let slip that Harry had been given word of the task beforehand.

"Come on, cub, let's get you checked out by Madam Pomfrey. That cut looks deep." Remus said, grabbing Sirius and Harry by the arm and pulling them towards the champion's tent.

"Wait," Sirius said, stopping them. "They're going to show Harry's scores."

They walked over to the judges' area, and waited. After a moments deliberation, the scores were revealed. Harry recieved top marks from all the judges except for Karkaroff, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Maybe he wouldn't completely humiliate himself…

Sirius let out a cheer when it was announced that Harry tied for first with Victor Krum and embraced his godson again. "I knew you could do it, Harry, you were fantastic!"

"Oh really, Padfoot? I remember you being in hysterics when you saw what Dragon Harry was facing," Remus said with a smile, throwing an arm around both of their shoulders. Harry laughed at the thought of his godfather upset over the dragon, but also felt a rush of affection for Sirius, happy that someone cared so deeply for him.

Sirius swatted at Remus, and the three headed to the tent to get Harry's cut fixed. Sirius wouldn't shut up about how brilliant Harry was, and Harry eventually threatened to hex him if he didn't quit going on about it. Sirius barked a laugh and ruffled Harry's hair. "Hey, I can't help being proud of my boy."

Harry beamed back up at him, but before he could respond, he heard someone clear their throat from the front of the tent. Harry turned to see Ron and Hermione standing at the entrance.

"Come on, Padfoot," Remus mumbled, grabbing Sirius's arm. Sirius reluctantly obliged, and told Harry they would be in Remus's quarters if he needed them.

"You were brilliant, Harry." Hermione said, walking over and hugging him.

"Yeah, mate, you were. I guess… I guess someone really does want you dead, entering you in this tournament." Ron mumbled, looking down from where he was standing.

"Finally caught on, have you?" Harry said, a little coldly.

Ron opened his mouth, trying to apologize, but Harry realized he didn't need to hear it. "Forget it." Harry said, gently.

"But-"

"No, Ron, forget it." Harry smiled at him and Ron smiled back. Hermione beamed at them both and all three walked back to the castle and on to the Gryffindor common room, where they were celebrating Harry's victory with stolen food from the kitchen. Harry hadn't felt this happy in weeks, and gladly drank all the butterbeer he could handle before retreating to his room for what he hoped to be a peaceful night's sleep.


	17. Padfoot and His Puppy

-A/N: I'm aware I have the timing wrong for this; the First Task didn't occur until November in the books, but I realized after I had posted the previous chapter that I wanted to focus on the holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, so sorry… the first task happened mid-October in this fanfiction. ALSO it's Sirius's birthday today (November 3!) -

Harry was on top of the world; the second task was months away, and though he had to eventually try and figure out the clues for it, it was the last thing on his list of worries. He had Ron, his best mate, back, and all the kids in the school had stopped picking on him; instead, most applauded him for skillfully capturing the egg from the dragon. The Hufflepuffs didn't feel sorely toward him anymore about stealing the "glory" from their champion, and were mostly excited that a Hogwarts victory was twice as possible, if not probable.

Sirius and Remus, on the other hand, were growing more and more nervous about Harry. They were both proud of him for making it through the first task, and promised to continue to help him for the rest of them, but they were still convinced that someone was after their boy. Sirius often vocalized this to Dumbledore, who agreed with their suspicions, and said that he was doing all he could to keep everyone, especially Harry, out of danger.

Though this wasn't enough for Sirius to feel confident, he accepted it and continued on, spending as much time with his godson as possible.

* * *

The weather got colder as Halloween approached. Hogwarts was decorated in spooky wizard paraphernalia and the ghosts seemed more active than usual. Most of the people in Hogwarts were excited for the holiday and the feast that would ensue in the Great Hall; _most_ except for Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Harry Potter.

Sirius, who was usually a fantastic teacher with a wonderful personality and strong connection to his students, grew distant in his lessons. Remus took more time off than he felt necessary after the October full moon, silently grieving his late friends. Harry recognized both of his guardians grief, and his began to mirror theirs as the dreaded date approached. He grew distant of both of them for that brief time, wanting to give them time to mourn, and also not wanting to be seen by anyone himself.

Sirius noticed his godson's behavior almost immediately and knew how the boy had to be feeling. He imagined his own grief was not even close to the pain he knew Harry was in, and wanted to be there for him.

"Harry," Sirius said at dinner the night before Halloween. "Come with me tonight. Remus and I haven't heard from you in a week, we want to see you."

Harry didn't meet his eyes, but nodded. Ron and Hermione shot Sirius a look that conveyed their worry for their friend. Harry was usually okay during Halloween, not really registering that it was the night his parents were murdered; however, ever since Remus and Sirius had come into his life, it was harder not to think of his parents. His guardians had told him so much about them, and the closer he got to Sirius, the more he missed his parents, wanting them to be there with Sirius, Remus, and him too. He wanted things to be the way they could have been; Harry with a brave father, a loving mother, a fun godfather, and a wise uncle Moony.

Tears began to form in the corners of his eyes, and he looked down, not wanting anyone to see his weakness. Sirius sensed this, and gently pulled on his arm. "Come on, Harry," he whispered, urging him to move. Harry obliged and together they walked out of the hall. Harry dared a look at the other house tables, who all appeared concerned; that is, except the Slytherins, who appeared quite tickled that Harry was in trouble with his "daddy," as they maliciously coined Sirius. "Ignore them," Sirius said gently, following his godson's gaze and letting go of Harry's arm, to make the situation seem less forced. Harry nodded but still did not meet Sirius's gaze.

When they finally entered his quarters, Sirius gestured over to the living room, where a sick-looking Remus was sitting. Regardless, Remus smiled at Harry and placed a hand on his shoulder when he sat beside him. "Harry," Remus started gently. "Why have you been avoiding us?"

Harry shrugged, not really having a concrete reason besides that he wanted desperately to be left alone. The week after the first task was great, but the attention was again, annoying Harry, and with the anniversary of his parent's deaths coming up, Harry longed to be anyone but Harry Potter.

"Harry, you know what tomorrow is?" Sirius asked, sitting on Harry's other side and throwing an arm over his shoulders.

Harry nodded but still didn't look up. Sirius sighed, "I wish I knew a way that could make this easier for you. Heck, if I knew, I'd be using it as well."

Harry met his eyes this time. "Take me to Godric's Hollow."

Sirius and Remus both froze, not expecting this reaction out of Harry. Once he registered the request, Sirius's face grew dark and he looked down. "No." He said simply.

"Sirius…" Remus warned, confused.

"Why not?" Harry asked, growing angry.

"Because I said so," Sirius said, now staring at the floor so hard he thought he could burn a hole into it.

Harry gaped at him, but instead of yelling at Sirius, he ran out of the portrait hole through the castle.

"Harry!" Remus called, but didn't go after him. He was still too weak to chase him, and a part of him knew Sirius had to be the one to find him. "What was that all about, Padfoot?" Remus asked accusingly at Sirius. "The boy's never seen their grave and he trusted you enough to ask you to take him. What's wrong with you?"

Sirius looked up and Remus was surprised to see tears in his eyes. "I… I can't Moony. I've never been either and… I just can't." Sirius began to sob and Remus was so surprised he just stood there. Sirius _never_ cried unless something was really wrong. Feeling a pang of guilt for snapping at him, Remus walked back over to the couch and put an arm around Sirius's shoulders. "Tell me, Padfoot."

Once Sirius's choking sobs ceased, he looked up into his friend's eyes. "They won't forgive me. I can't face it… the reason they're dead… the reason Harry was abused-"

"The fault resides in Voldemort, Pettigrew, and the Dursleys, and them alone, Sirius. Don't blame yourself." Remus said softly but sternly, hugging his friend.

"No." Sirius said, so quietly it sounded malicious.

"No?" Remus asked, pulling back.

"It's my fault, Remus. Can't you see that? I suggested Peter be the secret keeper. I went after him when it was too late to save James and Lily, leaving Harry to sit in his own personal hell for thirteen years. It's my fault." Sirius broke down again, and Remus didn't know what to do. He had expected that Sirius's grief only festered in Azkaban, but he never realized the extent that he blamed himself for his best friend, no, his brother's, death.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, only listening to Sirius's heavy breathing and curses, Remus realized what he had to do. "Sirius, James would want you to take Harry to Godric's Hollow. James loved you, and I guarantee you he doesn't blame you for any of it. And Harry loves you, and _needs_ you, Padfoot. He feels alone, he needs you to show him that he's loved and that he does have a parent - a godfather that his own, biological father appointed to care of him. James would want you to go to Godric's Hollow and Harry needs you to take him."

Sirius sat there for a few more minutes before he finally nodded. "I'm doing this for Harry, and for James. Not for me." Remus nodded, but had a feeling Sirius would change his mind once he got to the graveyard.

"Good... Now go find your godson." Remus said, patting Sirius on the shoulder.

* * *

"Harry?" Sirius whispered into the tunnel leading to Honeydukes. He had heard stifled sobs from behind the statue leading into the tunnel, and knew immediately that this is where Harry went to grieve while he was at school.

Harry silenced his sobs but didn't look up at his godfather. He wanted to be alone. His last hope at seeing his parents had been ripped from him by the one person he thought would never hurt him. He couldn't look at Sirius.

Sirius timidly stepped in the hole, not wanting to frighten or anger Harry more. "I know you're mad at me… hell, you have every right to be. But all I ask is that you hear me out. I'll take you to Godric's Hollow."

Harry's breath caught and Sirius knew it was safe to step over to the trembling boy. He sat beside him and threw a comforting arm around his shoulders, the way he always did. "I… I'm sorry, Harry. I'm sorry I've been so angry lately, I'm sorry I reacted the way I did earlier. This is not an easy time for any of us… but I just had some sense knocked into me by Moony, and I want you to know, I want to take you to Godric's Hollow. I just… it's my fault…" Sirius trailed off and sighed, looking down at the dirty floor in the tunnel, trying to decide the best way to phrase his guilt.

Harry realized his godfather's thought process immediately, and threw his arms around Sirius. It's not that Sirius wanted to keep Harry from the grave site, it was that he was _scared_ to go himself. "It's really not your fault." He mumbled against his godfather, wanting Sirius to believe it as much as he did.

Sirius's breath caught as this boy, his wonderful, sweet, brave, godson, embraced him. At first he was ashamed; he was supposed to be comforting Harry, not the other way around.

After a few minutes of sitting there, Sirius returned the hug and smiled. He was terrified to go to Godric's Hollow, yes, but he knew that Harry needed it, and he would do anything for Harry.

* * *

"This is it." Sirius said once Harry and him had reached Hogsmeade. "You're sure?"

Harry nodded confidently and turned to meet Sirius's gaze. "Are you sure?"

Sirius smirked at him before grabbing his forearm and apparating to Godric's Hollow. Harry landed hard and stumbled, but Sirius caught him and chuckled. "Never done that before, huh?"

Harry got his footing and shook his head, then looked around. "So, this is it?"

Sirius nodded, and placed an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Yep, this is it. Let's walk to the center of the town. There's a lot of history here, you know. This is where Godric Gryffindor was born."

Harry gaped at his godfather, not realizing that the namesake of his beloved Hogwarts house was born in the same place he was.

The two walked on towards the center of the town by an old cathedral. Children in costumes walked around giggling and eating candy, reminding Harry again of what he could have had growing up. He felt Sirius squeeze his shoulder and knew they were thinking along the same lines.

They approached an old looking statue shaped like an obelisk, with memorials of those who died in a muggle war. However, to both Harry and Sirius's astonishment, the statue morphed into a memorial of James, Lily, and baby Harry. Harry stared up in awe at it before breaking the silence between his godfather and him. "Did you know this was here?"

"I… no, I didn't." Sirius mumbled, staring up at the stone statue of his late best friend. "You know Harry, it's been thirteen years, and not a day goes by that I don't miss your dad. He was… like a brother."

Harry nodded and looked back up at the happy family depicted in the statue. Harry noticed that his baby self looked extremely content in his mother's arms. After a few more minutes of studying the memorial, he felt Sirius squeeze his shoulder again. "Come on, there's a few more things I want to show you."

Harry nodded, but instead of taking him in the direction of the graveyard, Sirius brought him down a small cobblestone road. They approached a ruined cottage, and Harry realized where Sirius was taking him. "Is that…" Harry mumbled, staring in awe at the building that had been claimed by nature and devastation.

"Yes... this was your house." Sirius said, looking down at Harry. "I spent countless nights here with you and your family and when I found it destroyed that night…" Sirius trailed off and Harry bit back his tears. He knew how bad it was hurting his godfather to come here, and he was more grateful for him now than he had ever been.

Sirius sighed after a few minutes, and offered to walk back to the graveyard.

Harry nodded and they walked towards the graveyard in the village. Sirius opened the wrought-iron gate and led Harry through the names of those that once inhabited the tiny village. Harry read through the names as they passed and stopped his godfather after reading one that caught his attention. "Sirius… that says Dumbledore on it."

"Ah, yes, I believe Dumbledore grew up here." Sirius said, stepping to look at a headstone that read 'Ariana Dumbledore.' "That must be his sister, she died when he was young."

Harry frowned at the stone, but was quickly distracted by his godfather pulling him forward. "Come on, puppy, we're almost there."

 _Puppy._ Harry smiled to himself. Sirius had been calling him that since he saved him from the Dursleys and it just seemed so right; it made him feel protected and happy, like he finally had someone that loved him.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted when they approached the old stone that memorialized his parents. Sirius kneeled down and Harry followed him, both reading the grave. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Sirius whispered. They both sat in silence for a few moments, studying their grave. After a few minutes, Harry realized that Sirius's head was bowed and- was he _crying?_

Harry stood up gripped his godfather's shoulder. "Sirius… it's not your fault. Know that please… you didn't condemn me all those years ago… you saved me this year. Come on…"

Hearing Harry's trembling voice made Sirius cry harder, but yet… he felt better. Better than he had since before James and Lily died. He wanted to wrap Harry in his arms and hug him, but he couldn't… he couldn't bring himself to do it, not here.

 _He's James's son…_ Sirius thought, feeling so guilty. Guilty that he had caused his friend's death, guilty that he left Harry… guilty that Harry considered him a dad now and _not_ James.

All of the sudden, a refreshing breeze filtered through the air in the graveyard, and a white stag came leaping over to Sirius. "Prongs…" Sirius whispered, awestruck. Harry was standing behind Sirius, casting the patronus without even meaning to, but wanting, desperately, to help his godfather.

As Sirius watched the stag float toward him, he knew. This is what James wanted. He wanted Sirius to love Harry like a son and take care of him. He wasn't betraying his them at all by taking care of Harry; James and Lily _wanted_ this for their son _and_ their best friend.

Harry stepped closer to Sirius and let the patronus go. He leaned down and put a hand on Sirius's shoulder, but his godfather didn't look up at him. "Sirius… you're like my dad… it's okay. I know he wouldn't want you to feel this way…"

Before Harry could finish his remarks, Sirius stood up and embraced his godson. "Thank you," he whispered into Harry's ear and he meant it. His godson had truly saved him, and for that he was forever grateful.

* * *

Sirius and Harry aparated back to Hogsmeade that evening, confident that this had been the best Halloween they had experienced in thirteen years.

They walked back to hogwarts, arm in arm, excited to share with Remus the evening they spent together. They went into the Great Hall and Sirius headed up to the teacher's table, as the feast was still going on. Harry went and sat next to his friends, enjoying the evening and relishing in the fact that he was no longer alone, that he finally had the family he had always dreamed of.

* * *

Sirius woke up three mornings later to his godson jumping on his bed and Remus laughing. "What?" Sirius groaned, turning and putting his head in his pillow to block out the light.

"What do you mean, what?" Harry said, flopping on top of Sirius's back. "It's your birthday!"

"So?" Sirius huffed, attempting to throw Harry off him. Remus joined them by lying across Sirius's legs and smiled up at them.

"So? It's a big deal Padfoot. One year closer to being able to grow a beard like Dumbledore's, you old man." Remus said, laughing when Sirius attempted to kick him in the head.

Harry smiled at Remus and climbed off Sirius. "Come on, Padfoot, wake up already."

Sirius kicked Remus off him, turned into a sitting position, and smirked at them both. Harry reminded him of an excited child on Christmas and it made him happy to see the boy finally act his age and not like the weight of the world was on his shoulders; Sirius fleetingly remembered the prophecy about Harry, but shook the thought away, wanting to focus on the excited kid in front of him and _not_ his destiny.

He followed Harry and Remus into the living room where they had set out breakfast and a few presents for him. "Hmm, pancakes? I seem to recall this being Harry's favorite breakfast." Sirius said, smiling at his godson when he plopped down beside him on the couch.

"Don't act like you don't like chocolate chip pancakes, Siri," Harry said, digging into his own.

"And I believe chocolate is Remus's favorite food too," Sirius said with a sly smile at Moony, who was scarfing down his own pancakes.

"Are you just going to sit there then? Old men need to eat too, you'll waste away!" Harry exclaimed dramatically, dodging a swat from Sirius. Remus laughed hard and Sirius threw a pancake at him, hitting him square in the face. Soon the three were in an all out food fight in the room, only stopping when a knock sounded at the door.

McGonagall answered, looking as strict as ever. "Merlin, Sirius, I know it's your birthday but you're going to wake up the entire school."

Sirius shrugged and gave McGonagall a sly smile. "It was actually Harry's fault, you think I should give him detention?" Harry threw a pancake at the back of Sirius's head in response, causing Sirius walk over, grab him, and throw him over his shoulder. "You're gonna get it, kid. Just give me one second to clear up things with Minnie." Sirius turned back towards McGonagall again, Harry flailing on his shoulder, trying to get down. "As I was saying," Sirius started before feeling syrup sliding down his hair and across his face. "Moony!" Sirius raged, turning back around to face the "traitor." Remus and Harry were both laughing hard, and Sirius turned back to McGonagall to see a smile come across her face as well.

"I suggest you put Mr. Potter down, Black. You aren't as young as you once were." McGonagall said, Remus and Harry continuing to howl with laughter in the background. Sirius gaped at her for a second, before smiling too and putting Harry on his feet. "Would you like to join us? We'll stop with the food fight and have the house elves bring up some more breakfast."

"Yes!" Harry yelled, before getting a glare from Sirius. "Nope, this time it's my favorite breakfast, kid. Toast."

"Toast?" Harry asked, gaping at him. "That's so boring."

"Well you know, Harry, old men like their food bland. They lose taste buds over time, go easy on him." Remus said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder and sending a playful look to Sirius.

McGonagall laughed at the three boys, and shook her head. "I need to get going, Sirius, some of us younger folk will be enjoying a delicious breakfast of eggs and bacon in the Great Hall. Happy Birthday again."

Sirius stood there with his mouth open, staring after her and ignoring the laughter from Remus and Harry again.

"Oh, you two are going to get it." Sirius said, barking a laugh and chasing the two around the living room.

Harry slipped on the syrup that had fallen on the floor, and soon the three of them were wrestling each other on the floor, not a care in the world.


	18. The Yule Ball

**A/N: Continue to reveiw! I really appreciate the feedback and enjoy reading your comments. I also have a blog that I'm going to use to write some Harry Potter analysis, so private message me if you're interested. This is a long one, but I hadsomeone request this scenario, and I like the way it turned out. Enjoy!**

December was approaching, and normally Harry wasn't very excited for Christmas. The Dursley's never gave him presents or allowed him to partake in their celebrations. Since coming to Hogwarts, Harry's holidays had definitely improved, but they still reminded him of how alone he was.

This year, however, would be different. Harry had a family this year, a real family. Two men that his own his parents considered to be like brothers. For that reason, he couldn't wait for Christmas; that is, until he went to his transfiguration lesson on the first of December.

"Mr. Potter, will you stay after for one moment." McGonagall said at the end of class.

"Blimey mate, what did you do?" Ron asked, giving Harry a sympathetic look.

"No clue," Harry said with a frown. He walked up to Professor McGonagall's desk and she gave him what he thought to be a sympathetic smile.

"Mr. Potter, I'm not sure if you have heard, but it is a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament for the school to host a Yule Ball on Christmas Eve. The champions are expected to lead the first dance and as such, you will need to find a date and prepare."

"What? No, I don't dance…" Harry said, looking at his professor in horror.

"Well I'm sorry Mr. Potter, but it's not optional. Luckily for you and your Gryffindor peers, Professor Black and I will be holding a lesson in a few weeks to prepare you all." McGonagall said sternly, shooting a look to Ron who was waiting at the door for Harry. Harry turned to look at him and was pleased to see he was equally as horror-struck at the idea of dancing at this ball. "I suggest you begin to look for dates."

Harry scowled, but politely said "yes professor," before following Ron out the door. "A dance? Blimey, I wondered what those horrendous robes mum bought me were for!"

"I can't dance at all! And a date? We have to find dates?" Harry said, searching the corridor for a potential suitor.

"And what exactly are you worrying about? You just stole an egg from a dragon and came out unscathed. You'll have no problem finding someone… but me? bloody hell." Ron said, looking around wide-eyed.

* * *

"A dance, Sirius! And I've got to find a date! I can't dance and I've never even considered asking a… a girl to something before! Blimey, I'm doomed." Harry said, flopping down on the couch in his godfather's living room.

Sirius chuckled, enjoying his godson's innocent humiliation at the prospect of dancing with a girl. "There's not anyone you fancy, Harry?"

"Well… there's this one girl, I guess. She's the seeker for Ravenclaw. But we've never really spoken, I don't think she knows I-"

"Harry," Sirius interrupted, sitting down beside him. "I know you don't like to think about it, but everyone in this school knows you exist. You're Harry Potter for one thing, you're a very talented seeker, and you definitely proved yourself in that First Task. She knows who you are, and I'll bet she would say yes if you asked her. I bet anyone would. Shame you got James's looks, otherwise you would be the whole package." He said, chuckling as Harry pushed him.

"This is not a joking matter, Sirius. How do I ask her? Girls… they travel in packs. I don't want to ask her around all her friends, they giggle too much." Harry said, standing up and pacing the room.

Sirius barked a laugh and Harry shot him an exasperated look, slightly annoyed that his godfather was finding humor in his humiliation. "Are you serious!"

"Why, yes, I am," Sirius replied with a sly smile, receiving a pillow to the head following the statement, and causing Sirius to laugh harder.

Remus walked into Sirius's living quarters and Harry ran up to meet him. "Remus, help me. I've gotta find a date to this stupid ball and learn how to dance!"

"Why are you asking me and not your godfather? As many girls as Sirius dated in Hogwarts, I'd think he would be able to give you better advice than I could." Remus said with a playful smirk at Sirius.

Sirius rolled his eyes and Harry gave him a betrayed look. "You dated girls while you were at Hogwarts?"

"Well, yes, Harry, I do like women." Sirius said grinning, knowing that wasn't what his godson was implying, but enjoying joking around with him nonetheless. He walked up to Remus and Harry and ruffled Harry's hair.

Harry blushed, but persisted on. "Then you can help me! Please, Siri." Harry said, giving him his best puppy dog face.

"We can both help you," Sirius said, pulling on Remus's arm, who was trying to sneak over to the kitchen. "Remus can talk about the women I dated all he wants, but he's definitely more of a gentleman than I am, and that'd be good for you to know too."

"First things first, Harry, never try to ask a girl out by attaching a note to a stag's antler and sending him to chase her around…" Remus said, patting Sirius on the shoulder.

"Yeah, learned that one the hard way…" Sirius chuckled. Harry smiled, thinking of his dad chasing a girl around in his animagus form for Sirius. Then he had an idea.

"Wait, that might work!" Harry said, sitting down at the kitchen table and looking at his godfather..

"Well, Harry, most normal stags won't do that for you, so unless you know another animagus…" Remus trailed off, realizing what Harry meant and grinning at Sirius.

"Woah, wait a second. You want me to... Harry, what good will it do you if I help you ask a girl out? You've gotta do it by yourself eventually, you know." Sirius said, smirking.

"Oh, I'll do it myself this time. I just need you to distract her friends," Harry said, grinning. Remus started laughing and Sirius looked taken aback.

"Blimey, Harry! Isn't that inappropriate? A bunch of girls petting their professor…" Sirius said, looking disgusted.

"Well they're all in love with you anyway. Besides, they'd be touching Padfoot, not you." Harry said with a shrug.

"Come on, Sirius, do this for your boy." Remus said, patting Sirius on the back and laughing when Sirius shot him a betrayed look.

"Fine, I'll do it. Hell, when you asked for help, I thought you just wanted advice." Sirius said, slumping against the kitchen counter.

"Well I did, but this idea is better." Harry said, grinning. Sirius rolled his eyes, then turned into Padfoot. He walked over and nudged Harry's leg. "What, you want to do it now?" Padfoot walked out the door and then turned, as if expecting Harry to follow. "Blimey, I was thinking next week or something."

Padfoot barked and trotted on, and Harry ran after him, leaving Remus laughing to himself about the absurdity of the situation.

* * *

"Well, that's them," Harry mumbled, looking at the group of girls sitting together under a tree by the lake. Padfoot licked his hand before trotting off towards them. He barked a couple of times, walking slowly so as not to frighten them by the omen of death.

"Oh, a puppy!" A fifth year named Hannah squealed, running up to pet the dog, most of the girls following behind.

"Well this is it," Harry mumbled, walking up to the group surrounding Padfoot. "Hey Cho, can I ask you something… over there."

"Sure, Harry." Cho said. Harry looked at the dog for a second and could have sworn he saw it wink at him.

They walked towards the lake a bit. "So, Cho, I was er… well, would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?"

Cho smiled at him. "Sure, Harry. It should be fun."

"Really?" Harry asked breathlessly, surprised that she said yes.

Cho giggled, much to Harry's annoyance, but nodded. "Yes really, I'll see you around." And with that she walked back over to her friends and Harry turned and walked the other way, hoping Padfoot would follow.

Soon the dog was trotting along his side again, looking up at him expectantly. Harry grinned at Padfoot, and decided to wait and tell him when they got back to his quarters.

* * *

"So I take it she said yes?" Remus asked when Harry and Padfoot came back through the portrait hole.

Sirius changed back and looked at Harry expectantly. Harry smirked. "Yep, I've got a date to the Yule Ball… now I just gotta learn to dance…"

Sirius and Remus both chuckled. "We'll leave that job to McGonagall." Sirius said, sitting down beside Remus on the couch.

"Actually, Professor McGonagall told our class that you were going to help teach, Siri." Harry said with a smug grin.

Sirius looked taken aback and Remus burst out laughing. "What? I haven't… Minnie!" Sirius yelled, storming back out the portrait hole, clearly looking to talk to McGonagall about the arrangements for dance lessons.

* * *

"The House of Godric Gryffindor has demanded respect from the wizarding world for centuries," McGonagall announced to the students in the now empty Great Hall. "As such, Professor Black and myself refuse to have you go to this dance looking like a babbling, bumbling, band of baboons."

"Try saying that five times fast," Fred whispered to George. Harry smirked at them, then looked back at his godfather and his professor. He noticed, despite being forced into the situation, that Sirius looked very relaxed, like he didn't have a care in the world.

"So, without further ado, we will show you how to waltz properly. Mr. Weasley, will you join me?" McGonagall asked, reaching for his hand.

Harry and the twins tried to stifle their chuckles at Ron's expense as Sirius walked to Hermione. "Will you accompany me, Mrs. Granger?" Harry had a feeling Sirius asked Hermione because she was the only girl in Gryffindor tower that didn't appear to fancy him.

"Now, Mr. Weasley, place your hand on my waist." McGonagall said, grabbing Ron's hand.

"Where?" Ron gaped at her. Harry and the twins were in a fit of laughter by this point and most of the girls were staring daggers at Hermione for being asked by Sirius to dance.

"My waist, Mr. Weasley. Come on." McGonagall said, moving his hand for him. "Mr. Filch, the music, if you will." Ron turned as red as his hair as she began dancing.

Harry looked over to his godfather dancing with Hermione, and he couldn't help but notice how graceful Sirius was on his feet; it was as if he'd been dancing his entire life. It looked like it came as easily as walking did.

"Alright boys, up on your feet! Find yourself a partner, let's go!" McGonagall yelled, not making any move to let go of Ron.

The boys continued to sit and watch and Sirius noticed this. "One moment, please, Mrs. Granger." He said as he walked towards Harry. "Mr. Potter, I believe you requested help in learning to dance."

Harry stared at him with wide eyes, not wanting to be the first boy to dance. "I- I'll just watch, thanks."

"Nonsense, Harry, you can't learn by simply observing," Sirius said with a smirk, pulling Harry towards the girls. "Here, Mr. Potter, why don't you ask Mrs. Patil to dance with you."

Harry shot Sirius a glare, before reaching his hand out to Parvati, who started giggling madly.

"That's it, now, boys, find your partner and let's begin." Sirius said, before walking back over to Hermione to continue the dance. All the girls shot up from their seats and the boys reluctantly walked over to practice.

After the lesson, Harry refused to talk to Sirius; Sirius, however, did not seem to mind and wore a smug smile, with an arm thrown around Harry's shoulders, for the entire walk back to his quarters.

* * *

Soon it was Christmas eve, and the Gryffindor boys were in their dorms putting on their dress robes.

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered, staring in horror at his dress robes.

"Well," Harry said, coming up beside him. "They match your eyes. Does it come with a bonnet?" He reached in the package from the store. "Aha! Can't forget that now can we?"

"Come off it, Harry, they're hideous!" Ron exclaimed.

"Come on mate, at least you got a date and you're going to the dance." Dean said, smirking at Ron.

"Yeah, that's right. Padma won't mind the robes too much." Seamus said.

"At least I'm not Hermione," Ron said, looking in the mirror again. "Poor girl, probably didn't get asked by anyone decent."

The other guys shared a look, aware that Hermione had been asked by someone, but they didn't want to make Ron feel any worse. "Come on guys, let's go," Harry said, stepping out the dorm room.

When the boys got down to the entrance hall, Harry searched desperately for Cho. He found her talking to Cedric Diggory, who had Fleur Delacour on his arm as well.

"Oh, hello Harry." Cedric said with a grin as Harry approached.

Harry smiled back and turned to Cho. "You look beautiful." He mumbled, smiling at her. She smiled and looked down at her feet before whispering a thank you.

"Ah, Mr. Diggory, Mr. Potter, and Mrs. Delacour, come this way, it's time to line up for the procession." McGonagall said, pulling their arms in the direction of the Great Hall.

They lined up and Harry noticed how oddly familiar Victor Krum's date appeared. "Hermione?" Harry asked, shocked. Ginny had told him that Hermione had a date, but he didn't realize it was Victor Krum.

"Hi Harry!" She said, beaming at him.

"H-Hi..." Harry said, still shocked at how beautiful she looked in her lavender robes.. However, before he had any time to consider it, they were walking out into the Great Hall, which had been decorated fantastically in light blues and silver. When they got to their places on the dance floor, Cho smiled up at him, grabbing his hand and placing it on her waist. Harry looked up fleetingly and made eye contact with Sirius and Remus, who were both dressed in handsome blue dress robes and smiling at him.

The music began and the four champions started to dance with their partners. Harry wasn't quite as poor of a dancer as he had been a few weeks prior, and he found he was actually having a decent time with Cho.

Soon the teachers and other students joined in; Professor Dumbledore danced with Professor McGonagall, Neville danced with Ginny, and Ron reluctantly danced with Padma.

The night continued on pleasantly, with everyone enjoying a delicious feast and listening to great music by _The Weird Sisters_. Halfway through the band's set, Cho pulled Harry off to the side. "Would you like to walk with me?" Harry nodded, and followed her out of the Great Hall.

They walked outside, onto the grounds, and Cho pulled him over to a bench in a corner. "Let's sit," she said, smiling gently. Harry sat down beside her and looked down, feeling a little awkward about being alone with a girl for the first time.

"Look, Harry…" she whispered after a moment of silence. "Mistletoe."

Harry looked up and before he could register what was happening, Cho had placed her lips against his and it felt so… different. Different to anything Harry had ever experienced, but he liked it; he didn't want to ever stop snogging the beautiful girl in front of him.

After what felt like hours, Harry noticed a muffled chuckling coming from behind them. He pulled away to see the backs of his godfather and Remus walking towards the Great Hall, who had no doubt been watching Harry snog Cho. He blushed and returned his gaze to Cho, who was giving him a knowing smile. "Don't worry about it, I know how father's can be."

Harry smiled to himself, not even upset that Sirius and Remus had interrupted him; Cho called them his father's, and that filled him with a warmth that no amount of snogging could create. "Yeah, I better go find them before they tell the entire school," Harry mumbled, chuckling. "I… I would like to see you again, though. Maybe the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

Cho smiled and nodded, and the two walked back inside to the Great Hall.

* * *

"Poor kid, we probably just ruined his first kiss…" Remus said with a chuckle. The two had returned to the Great Hall after _accidentally_ interrupting Harry's snogging session with Cho.

"He'll thank us later, you saw him. He was practically eating her face off. He needs to practice his snogging." Sirius said with a smirk.

"What he probably needs, Padfoot, is to get _the talk._ " Remus said with an evil grin. "We can't have him just snogging girls for fun, now can we?"

"Oh, I whole-heartedly agree, Moony. We need little Prongs to be safe, after all. Should we wait until after Christmas to give it to him?" Sirius asked.

"I say we take him back now and give it to him, it looks like he's just sitting with Ron over there anyway." Remus said, standing up and walking in that direction.

"Harry," Sirius said as they approached the table the two boys were sitting at. "We request that you join us in our quarters in thirty minutes time. Okay?"

Harry looked up at their mischievous grins nervously. "Er… sure, I'll see you then."

The two nodded down at Harry and then left to go prepare for their lesson.

* * *

"Ah, Harry, come in!" Remus said as Harry walked through the portrait hole, a little too enthusiastically for Harry's comfort. Sirius and Remus had changed out of their dress robes and were now clad in their nightshirts and pajama bottoms.

"Okay…" Harry said, staring wearily at his guardians but sitting down at the kitchen table regardless.

"Harry, we've decided that you need a little… how should I phrase this… guidance on the subject of love." Sirius said, smirking at Harry's face as it turned red.

"Which entails?" Harry asked, beginning to worry about the conversation.

"Oh, not much. Now, Remus is cooking hotdogs for a late night snack, would you like yours plain or in a bun?" Sirius said, his grin growing.

"You know, I really am tired, maybe we can-" Harry started as he tried to make a break for his bedroom; Sirius was too quick for him though, and locked all the doors in the surrounding areas.

"Sorry kid, Moony and I have some duties to fulfill. So sit down and tell me how you want your hot dog so we can get this show on the road." Sirius said, chuckling.

"I don't like hot dogs," Harry said with a grimace, wanting to go hide in his bedroom for the rest of the year.

"Oh? Well I would assume so with the way you were snogging Mrs. Chang earlier." Remus said, raising his eyebrows at Harry.

Harry shot him a glare and flushed red. Sirius barked a laugh and then turned back to Harry. "Remus, bring those hotdogs over. Harry, sit down."

Harry reluctantly returned to his seat and stared at his lap, desperately wishing to escape the situation.

"Okay, Harry, I have cut these hot dogs accordingly. We'll name this full-sized hot dog, oh I don't know, Padfoot-" he was cut off by a smack in the back of the head by Remus. "What, you want this one to be Moony? Well my friend, I beg to differ…"

Harry groaned and both of the older men chuckled. "We're only joking, Harry. Anyway, so boys are like hot dogs and girls are like the buns. They fit together perfectly, but only when the two people really like each other. Understand?" Remus started, changing the topic from whatever ridiculous speech Sirius was planning.

Sirius snorted and Remus shot him a look. " _Some_ hotdogs like having multiple buns, but as I'm sure your godfather can tell you, it's not always the safest route to take."

Sirius smirked but turned towards Harry. "He's right, you gotta be careful with the buns you like. If you choose to do things with more than one bun, that's fine, but you need to be prepared and protected."

"Besides, James only went for one bun his entire life." Remus added.

"Really? He never dated anyone else?" Harry asked, surprised and also happy to hear a story about his parents.

"Nope, she was all he ever wanted. And I would say it worked out pretty well for Prongs, he got his bun and then he named me godfather to their cute little hotdog." Sirius said, chuckling.

Harry rolled his eyes again but, despite his humiliation, returned the smile to his godfather.

"But back to the topic at hand," Remus started, putting ketchup and mustard on the bun. "Say this bun had some type of disease. When the hotdog goes in the bun, he gets the disease too, and it's not a good situation for the hotdog to be in."

"Right, and then there's also the fact that I am way too young and handsome to be a god-grandfather, so just some extra incentive to be careful there." Sirius said, shooting Harry a sly smile.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Okay, I got it. Use protective spells and pick my buns out carefully. Are we done here?"

"Not quite," Sirius said with a grin. "I don't think you'll ever even get to this point if you don't get some advice on snogging first."

Harry looked indignant. "How long did you watch me?"

Remus shot a guilty look at Sirius before responding. "Only a minute or so, Harry. We were just surprised at first, and when it finally hit us that we probably shouldn't be watching we couldn't stop laughing."

"Oi, was I that bad?" Harry said, flushing again and looking at his lap.

"No, no. It was just a nice moment, Harry. It made us happy to see you happy." Sirius added quickly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "That being said, I've snogged my fair share of girls, as Moony has told you a few times now, and he has too, though he doesn't want to admit it. We want to help you so that when your lifelong bun comes along, you'll know what to do."

Harry rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Well what was so bad about it? From the receiving end it was pretty enjoyable."

Sirius barked a laugh. "Yes, it looked like you were enjoying yourself. Just, the main thing is to go slow. You looked like a dementor trying to suck out her soul."

Harry gaped at him. "I am done with this conversation."

"Fine fine," Sirius said with another laugh, unlocking all the doors. "But when she complains about being slobbered on, don't say I didn't warn you!"

Despite his red face and desire to leave the room, Harry smiled at him. "I'll take note of that. Goodnight, Padfoot. Goodnight Moony."

Once Harry was locked in his bedroom in Sirius's quarters, both Marauders started laughing. "Poor kid won't be able to eat a hotdog ever again." Remus said.

"Oh well, overall I think he had a pretty great night. And I did too… I'm looking forward to tomorrow." Sirius said with a fond smile towards Harry's door.

"His first family Christmas," Remus said with a nod. "I think he's going to love your present, Sirius."

"I hope so…" Sirius mumbled, looking down at the table top. "You wanna crash in my room tonight Moony? I'll sleep on the couch, that way we can all be together tomorrow morning."

"I'll sleep on the couch-" Remus started, being cut off by Sirius

"Nope, I insist. Just give me one second to get my toothbrush." Sirius said, walking into the master bedroom, Remus smirking after him.


	19. A Christmas to Remember

-This is a short, but sweet story about Christmas. Ends on a cliffhanger. Not sure what angle I want to take from here, but keep reviewing and I'd be glad to hear any suggestions of bonding moments or ideas for the tournament.-

Sirius and Remus stood outside Harry's door the next morning before waking him up. "Is Dobby bringing up the pancakes?" Sirius whispered to Remus, who nodded. "Then let's go."

Together the two Marauders stepped through the door into Harry's bedroom and smiled at Harry, who was nestled under the covers, still sleeping.

"Kid had a big night last night," Remus said, smiling.

"Yeah, he looks far too peaceful for Christmas morning, though, wouldn't you say Mr. Moony?" Sirius asked with a mischievous grin.

"Oh, I couldn't agree more Mr. Padfoot. Would you like to do the honors?"

"Absolutely," Sirius said with a chuckle before changing into his animagus form and pouncing on Harry.

Harry shot out of bed at the sudden movement, sending Padfoot flying with a loud yelp. Remus immediately doubled over laughing and, once he registered what was going on, Harry chuckled at the shocked look the dog was giving him. "Sorry Padfoot."

Sirius changed back and gave Harry a fake stern look. "Yeah, say sorry to my backside, I didn't realize how much force a fourteen year old could carry."

"Hey, your fault for waking me up. What do you want anyway?" Harry asked, turning to get back under the covers.

"Harry it's Christmas," Remus said, regaining his composure and pulling Harry off the bed and onto his feet.

Harry facial expression changed from confused to happy as he realized the implications of the day. "So…"

"So, go get dressed and meet us in the living room," Sirius said, pushing himself up off the floor and smiling at Harry.

Harry nodded enthusiastically and the older Marauders chuckled as they walked back outside.

"He's jumpy when he wakes up. I'm sure your aching backside will remind you not to try and prank Harry again when he's sleeping," Remus said, receiving a playful shove from Sirius.

"Moony, my dear friend, you know as well as I do that _that_ was nothing close to the pranks that I could have pulled on our unsuspecting charge. I just chose to save that for another time, I'd hate for him to remember this special day as the day he got blue hair for a week." Sirius said with a smirk, sitting down on the couch to wait for Harry.

Harry walked back out in his new sweater from Mrs. Weasley. "I see you already got into one present," Remus said with a smile, patting the place on the couch in between Sirius and himself. Harry moved and sat in between the two. "Here Harry," Remus said, passing him a small rectangular package.

"Why don't you guys open presents before me? I've already opened Ron and Hermione's presents too." Harry said with a shrug, feeling guilty for being doted on when this was a family holiday.

"Nonsense, I'm sure Moony would rather watch you open presents than try on the socks I bought for him." Sirius said, nudging Harry. Harry grinned and grabbed the present out of Remus's hand.

Once opened, it was determined to be a book on world famous quidditch players and the teams they played for.

"Wow, thanks Remus! I love it." Harry said, smiling.

"Still doesn't beat your Firebolt from your favorite godfather last year." Sirius mumbled, smiling slyly at Remus.

Remus shot him a playful glare, then smiled back at Harry. "That's not all, go check your stocking over there."

Sirius looked betrayed as Harry emptied out loads of chocolate frogs, Bertie's Botts beans, and many other sweets and treats from Honeydukes and Zonko's. Remus smirked at Sirius before turning back to Harry. "Is it okay?"

"It's fantastic!" Harry exclaimed, opening a box of chocolate frogs to see what cards he got.

"Okay, okay, before you get a sugar high, why don't you open this present from me?" Sirius said, extending a larger rectangular box to his godson. His demeanor had changed from joking to nervous, and Harry himself could feel his heart beating faster.

Remus reached over and squeezed Sirius's shoulder before getting off the couch. "Dobby should have brought our breakfast up by now. I'm going to check on the kitchens, I'll be right back."

Sirius nodded but his gaze didn't shift from Harry opening his present. When he finally got the wrapping paper off, Harry realized it was a wizarding photo album, not unlike the one Hagrid had given him his first year. On the front was a picture of the four Marauders, Lily, and baby Harry. In the photo, the Marauders were facing Harry and Lilly and making bubbles shoot out of their wands for his amusement. Harry smiled at how happy they all seemed in the picture.

"Go ahead," Sirius said after a moment. "Open it."

Harry did, and on the first page he found a picture of him riding on Padfoot's back towards his mum, her expression one of mixed joy and apprehension. "How fast were you running to make mum look so worried?" Harry asked, chuckling.

Sirius smirked. "She yelled at me for that when you had gotten off, but you kept squealing 'doggy' and 'my Siri.' It melted her heart, and she quit yelling and let you go for another ride almost immediately."

Harry smiled and turned to the next page, which had four photos on it. The top left corner had a picture of James, Lilly, and baby Harry. The top right corner had baby Harry on Sirius's shoulders. The bottom two photos were pictures of Remus holding baby Harry and rocking him to sleep. As he continued through the album, Harry noticed it was mostly pictures of him as a baby, his father, mother, Sirius, and Remus. Very few had Peter in them, but if they did, they were group photos and Harry was situated far from him.

Sirius began to narrate some of the pictures as Harry went through the album. "That was your first birthday, your mum sent me that picture. Remember when I told you I bought your first broomstick? That was it. Apparently you almost killed your cat… but James was so proud. I wish I could have been there myself that night."

About three quarters of the way through the album, the baby pictures stopped and were replaced by pictures that had been taken in the last six months, since Harry had come to live with Sirius and Remus. Pictures of Sirius and him flying through their yard in the early summer mornings, pictures of Remus reading to Harry and Sirius (who were, not surprisingly, asleep), pictures of Sirius and Remus hugging Harry after the First Task - they went all the way up to pictures from the Yule Ball. Harry noticed there were still plenty of empty pages to fill.

Harry beamed up at Sirius, who tried to mirror his expression but still looked a little nervous. "Open it to the last page, Harry."

Harry looked back down at the album in his lap and flipped through the pages. On the last page, he found a stack of papers and on top of the stack was a note with his name on it. He looked at his godfather with a curious expression, but Sirius merely nodded. He returned his gaze to the letter and started reading.

 _Harry,_

 _When you were born, we started out as a big family. There were the four Marauders, closer than brothers we always did say. Then there was your mother, Lily, a beautiful, brave, and intelligent woman, and one that I considered to be a sister. Then you came along and your father asked me to be your godfather - in fact, the proudest moment of my life was when he placed you in my arms for the first time and announced that I was holding my godson._

 _As you know, a lot has changed since then and our family has gone from six to three - But we are still a family despite all the odds. After twelve years, I found you again and, as I have said before, you saved me in more ways than one. I want to repay you. I don't want you to consider yourself an "orphan" anymore, or not understand what it's like to go home to a parent who holds you close and loves you. I want to adopt you._

 _You had parents who loved you very dearly when you were born, as well as two "uncles" who adored you. Now, you still have both of those "uncles," but I ask that you allow me to give you what your parents wanted me to should this circumstance arise. I want to be your father, Harry._

 _It is, of course entirely up to you. At this point, the signing of papers is just a formality, being that you are as good as my son. I will continue to treat you that way should this not be what you want. I will protect you, love you, and accept you, regardless of your decision. Just know that Remus and I are so proud, and your parents would be too. ._

 _Love,_

 _Sirius_

Harry looked up at his godfather with tears in his eyes. Sirius still looked wary, like he didn't think Harry would accept his offer. "Harry, I will understand-"

Before he could form his sentence, Harry had grabbed a quill and signed all the forms required. He placed the documents and album on the ground before jumping on the couch and hugging his godfather - no, father, tightly.

"Can I still call you Siri?" Harry mumbled against Sirius's shoulder.

Sirius placed his hand behind the boy's head and pulled him closer. "You can call me whatever you would like. And I don't want to take James's place either. You can keep your last name and we can continue with the godfather, godson thing if you want. Like I said in the letter, this is moreso a formality, now you can be my heir and things like that. I've always thought of you as a son though, and now I guess I have even more reason to be the protective mother hen."

They pulled apart and Harry smiled sheepishly at his new father. "You know, I always dreamed about this as a child… when I was stuck in my cupboard. I hoped somebody would take me away and… I know it sounds childish but… I'm just really happy you showed up last year, even if you did scare everyone for the majority of it."

Sirius chuckled and ruffled Harry's hair. "I'm glad too, puppy."

They spoke to one another for a few minutes before Remus ran back through the portrait hole looking exceptionally pale.

"Hey Moony, guess who just adopted Hogwart's best seeker?" Sirius said smugly, throwing an arm around his son.

Remus tried desperately to smile and be happy for his best friend and his charge, but McGonagall had just shown him the Daily Prophet and he needed to tell him. "Congrats you two. Sirius, will you step outside a second? I'm afraid breakfast might have to wait a few moments."

Harry looked at Remus, concerned. Remus tried to give him a reassuring smile, but knew that Harry would hear the news soon enough so there was no point hiding his distress. Sirius patted Harry's shoulder before getting up and following Remus outside.

"What's going on, Remus?" Sirius asked, recognizing the severity of the situation.

"Sirius… it's Pettigrew. He's escaped."


	20. Mystery Revealed

-A/N: So, fun fact, I actually started writing the last chapter of this last night. I figured that since I now have the plot and character's established, I might try writing from the end a bit. Don't worry, the end probably won't come for at least fifty more chapters (this is a very involved story), but please stick with me and know that I am still open to suggestions with the events that take place in the story. It doesn't have to be some action-packed thing, it can be as simple as a Remus and Harry bonding moment or a new relationship for Harry. Just review and enjoy!-

"Sirius… it's Pettigrew. He's escaped… supposedly seen in Albania. You realize what this might mean?" Remus breathed out, watching his friend's face change from concern to horror and rage.

"Have you talked to Moody? Does he have any idea?" Sirius asked, trying to keep his voice down.

"Moody's not here… left early last week, I've been teaching defense classes. Dumbledore said he went to help the ministry when Pettigrew escaped." Remus said with a shrug.

Sirius's rage grew even larger. "He left last week? When _did_ Pettigrew escape?"

Remus shot his friend a stern look. "I know what you're thinking, but Albus trusts Moody. I'm sure it's coincidence and now Moody is able to go after him without worrying about classes. But to answer your question, his cell was empty this morning… so it had to have happened last night and-"

Their conversation was cut off by a distressed cry in Sirius's quarters. The two ran back inside to find Harry on the ground, clutching his forehead as if someone was drilling a screw into it. "Harry!" Sirius gasped, running to his son and putting him on the couch. "Harry listen to my voice, focus on my voice. It will be over soon, just hang on."

"I'm - not - so - sure-" Harry choked out, squirming under Sirius's grasp as blindingly hot pain scorched through his head.

* * *

" _Pettigrew, my lousy servant…" Voldemort mumbled from behind his chair. Barty Crouch Jr. stood beside the chair, staring down at the quivering mess that was Pettigrew._

" _Thank you Crouch, for delivering him to me. The plan will be much easier now that we have another." Voldemort hissed. "Now Crouch, remind Pettigrew of why he should not betray his master, why he must serve me faithfully."_

" _CRUCIO-" Barty Crouch Jr. shouted as Pettigrew screamed in agony._

 _Unaware to the three, another boy was screaming miles away as he too felt the hot pain scorching through his nerves, blinding him._

* * *

"Harry, son, can you hear me?" Sirius mumbled, stroking Harry's hair. He had passed out soon after Sirius and Remus had run into the room, and Remus had gone to alert Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore.

Harry groaned and attempted to lift his heavy eyelids. "P-Pettigrew… he's escaped…" He choked out, watching as Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey, and Remus came back through the portrait hole.

Sirius gave him a sad look and nodded. "I know - that's what Remus just told me when he asked me to step outside. The question is, how did you know?"

Dumbledore stepped forward and kneeled beside Sirius. "Yes, Harry, please tell us what has happened."

"I - need water." Harry croaked out and Remus walked over with a glass. Madam Pomfrey looked impatient, wanting to get over to Harry and help him.

After drinking the entire glass, Harry shuddered and then made eye contact with Dumbledore. "I - I don't know exactly… I just - saw him. Pettigrew. He - he was on the floor in some old house, t-trembling. Voldemort was t-there… but he wouldn't show himself… he was - like, like a voice. B-but, this guy was also there…"

"Did they say who he was?" Dumbledore asked gently, his blue eyes piercing Harry's emerald ones.

"Voldemort kept saying Crouch… he k-kind of looked like… like Barty Crouch… only… only younger." Harry choked out.

Dumbledore looked to Sirius, who shook his head. "Impossible. I heard Barty Crouch Jr. die, he was in a cell near mine. I know he died, he went quiet… they all eventually go quiet…"

"You're sure?" Dumbledore asked.

Sirius nodded, "they brought in Barty and his wife, they let family come if the person's dying. The dementor's were… active that night…"

Harry wasn't sure who they were talking about, but he knew his father was remembering Azkaban, and he wanted to comfort him. He tried to reach his hand out for Sirius's, but the pain overtook him and he whimpered.

Sirius and Dumbledore both turned their attention back to Harry, but before they could ask what was wrong, Madam Pomfrey was shooing them away. "Let me take care of this poor boy before you ask him anymore questions. Out, go on."

Harry whimpered again and made eye contact with Sirius, not wanting him to leave. Sirius tried to protest her pushing, but Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him away. "I need to talk to you about this, Sirius."

Reluctantly Sirius nodded and made to follow them. He turned back to Harry when he was at the portrait hole and assured him he would be back soon. Then the adults walked out and left Harry to Pomfrey's tending.

* * *

"You're sure he's dead, Sirius? Do you have any proof other than hearing that he went quiet and the dementor's being active?" Dumbledore asked urgently once they had reached his office.

"I mean, I was a high security prisoner, Albus. I didn't see anyone except those that passed my cell. So no, I guess I'm not completely sure. I didn't see him die." Sirius said, looking down at his lap. "But you can just tell, who else would have died? Why else would Barty Crouch and his wife have come to Azkaban that night?"

Dumbledore looked out the window, clearly puzzled. "Who else would Harry have seen then?"

"Harry might have misheard, he was in pain-" Remus offered, but Dumbledore cut him off.

"Harry knows nothing about Barty Crouch Sr. except that he works for the ministry and he's been missing. He didn't know he had a son, yet he described the man to be named Crouch and look exceptionally like Barty. I don't think he would have missed that, regardless of pain." Dumbledore said, looking back out the window.

Sirius and Remus were at a loss for words. After a few minutes of silence, Sirius finally spoke. "I can only tell you what I perceived, Albus, but we'll keep our eyes open for anything suspicious. All these events make me worry more for Harry's safety, especially with this tournament. Right now my son needs me though, so I'm going to retire to my quarters."

"Son?" Dumbledore asked, giving Sirius a knowing smile.

Sirius returned the smile, and chuckled. "Yeah… I adopted him this morning. It's a shame all this happened on Christmas… but anyway, I need to get back to him."

Dumbledore nodded and Remus and Sirius walked out of his office and back to Sirius's room.

* * *

When they returned, Harry was still on the couch, but he was sitting up and looked significantly more comfortable. He had gotten into the candy Remus had given him that morning. He smiled and greeted them once he noticed they had walked into the room.

Sirius tried to mirror his smile, but worry etched his features. "Hey kiddo. Did Pomfrey leave?"

Harry nodded. "She gave me some type of pain reliever and told me not to move for a few days, no surprise there." He rolled his eyes and reached for another chocolate frog. This time Sirius did smile and moved over to the couch, Remus following him.

Sirius nicked the chocolate frog from Harry and ate it, giving him a smug smile. "Hey!" Harry said, incredulous.

"It was going to hop away, I did you a favor by eating it really." Sirius said, ruffling Harry's hair and reaching for another. Harry rolled his eyes and pushed Sirius's hand away before grabbing another one to replace the last.

Sirius chuckled and threw an arm around Harry's shoulder, kissing the top of his head gently. "Listen, we need you to tell us if _anything_ weird happens. Especially related to this tournament, okay? As you know, we have reason to believe someone's trying to hurt you, and after today my anxieties have increased ten-fold. I will breathe freely again once this tournament's over and you're declared the champion."

"Sirius," Remus said, rolling his eyes. "Don't put too much pressure on him now."

Sirius gave Harry a proud smile and pulled him against his side before stealing another chocolate frog out of his stash of candy.

Harry glared at him but his heart felt exceptionally light. He finally had a father to care for him and an _uncle_ that wouldn't harm him. He was loved, he was protected. Despite all that happened with Pettigrew and Voldemort, Harry knew this was the best Christmas he had ever had.


	21. Laughter

A/N: It's one of those days and I'm on a roll. Plus, I'm not sure when I'm going to have time to write another chapter in the next week, so here's two for today.

The Christmas holidays came to a quick end, and soon all of the students that hadn't stayed for the Yule Ball had returned to Hogwarts. Classes were back underway, and the Second Task was quickly approaching. Hermione was constantly nagging Harry to figure out his golden egg's clue, and Sirius and Remus weren't much better.

Despite the stress that the task was bringing him, Harry was having one of the most joyful years Hogwarts had ever given him. The second Hogsmeade weekend was fast approaching, which meant that Harry would get to go on a date with his possible girlfriend, Cho, and the fourth year classes were much more interesting. Harry found that charms was quickly becoming his favorite subject behind Defense, particularly because it allowed him to spend even more time with Sirius.

However, one of the best experiences with Sirius as a professor didn't even occur in his class; in fact, Harry didn't even see it happen.

"I can't believe he did that!" Fred exclaimed, practically rolling in mirth when George and him arrived at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"It was absolutely brilliant!" George agreed, turning to their friend Lee. "I would have never even thought about it!"

"Harry!" Fred exclaimed once he noticed the three looking at them curiously. "Did you know Sirius was an animagus? He's never shown us in class!"

Harry nodded, "Of course I did, but why would he bother showing people? He's not a transfiguration professor."

"Well, everyone in the school knows now, mate." Lee said, sniggering.

"Why? What happened?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"The most genius prank to ever hit Hogwarts happened, Hermione." Fred said, beginning to laugh again at the memory of it. "McGonagall was going to show our class her animagus ability, so she changed into a cat and-"

Before Fred could finish his explanation, a giant black dog came barreling through the Great Hall, dodging students on its way to the head table. "SIRIUS BLACK," Minerva McGonagall's voice raged, echoing through the hall as she ran behind him.

"Blimey, I've never seen McGonagall that angry, even at you two," Ron mumbled, staring at Padfoot in awe.

The black dog dived under the Ravenclaw table and the students jumped up, laughing as he ran past their feet.

"GET BACK HERE YOU-" McGonagall said, still chasing the dog. Sirius managed to get to the head table and go out the side door that led to the champion's quarters for the tournament.

Either realizing that chasing Sirius was a lost cause, since he knew the castle's hiding places so well, or that she probably looked ridiculous to the students, McGonagall turned around to face all the tables. Students attempted to regain their composure, but faint giggling remained as McGonagall looked desperately for someone to take her anger out on. Even the professors were smirking at her, and Dumbledore looked as if his favorite soap opera had just aired.

"HARRY POTTER, REMUS LUPIN." She yelled, looking back and forth between the two. Harry immediately tried to put on an innocent expression, but knew it was in vain. He stood up and wearily approached her, as did Remus from the staff table. "HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN AN ANIMAGUS?"

Harry shrugged; he knew it happened in their fifth year, but it was before he was born, so he could successfully feign innocence in this situation. Remus however, was trying to control his mirth while simultaneously cowering under her gaze.

"OH - FORGET IT." McGonagall exclaimed after failing to get any information out of Remus. "What was Albus thinking?" She said, walking out towards the Entrance Hall. "Two Marauders as professors. Potter-" she said, turning back to face Remus and Harry, who had returned to laughing. "Tell _your_ father I need to speak with him when he's finished hiding like a little child."

This only made Harry laugh harder, and soon the entire Great Hall was caught in fits of laughter. Once McGonagall was safely out of the hall, Remus turned and walked back to the front of the room. "Sirius, you can come out now." He yelled towards the side door.

The huge black dog walked out of the room, almost pridefully, and turned back into Sirius. He immediately walked towards his seat at the head table to eat his meal, when the hall erupted into applause. Harry joined in with his classmates and even Professor Dumbledore gave him an approving wink.

"Oi, quit the racket," Sirius said almost immediately, a fake stern glance playing on his features. "Do you want her to come back in here and kill me?"

* * *

"Her face!" One first year exclaimed that evening in the Great Hall.

"I've never seen her so angry!" Another contributed, looking to the older students for confirmation.

"You should have seen her in the actual class then," Fred said, moving to the center of the group.

"She was off her rocker," George agreed, moving beside his brother.

"Tell us what happened again!" Colin Creevy said, the other younger students nodding their heads in agreement.

"Okay okay," Fred said, raising his hands in the air. "So, good old Minnie was explaining to us about the animagus process-"

"And decided she wanted to impress us with her transformation-" George continued.

"So she turned into a cat and Professor Black jumped out from her desk-"

"Except he was in his dog animagus form-"

"And he chased her around the entire classroom before she had enough composure to change back to her human form-"

"That's when Professor Black ran for it-"

"And none of us knew who it was until McGonagall started yelling down the hallway 'who does that dog belong to?'"

"And I guess someone spilled his secret, because once she found out she started chasing him as if her life depended on it-"

"That's when we all ran to the Great Hall… we figured she would catch him and we wanted to be the first people to tell everyone-"

"But luckily the show got even better and Professor Black came running into the Great Hall." George finished, a smug look on his face.

The common room filled with laughter for the millionth time that evening. Even Harry smiled, despite hearing this story at least twenty times. He wanted to see Sirius and ask him what inspired him to pull such a prank, but figured he was probably being chewed out by McGonagall at that very moment. The thought of his hardened, ex-convict father cowering in front of Minerva McGonagall made Harry go back into a fit of laughter and he couldn't wait to see Remus and him again.

* * *

"What on earth were you thinking, Sirius?" Remus asked, chuckling as they sat in the teacher's lounge.

"He _wasn't_ thinking," McGonagall said irritably, walking inside and closing the door on the three.

Sirius looked at her with a slightly amused, slightly guilty expression.

"Making a fool out of all of us, I swear Black, have you grown up at all?" McGonagall said, pacing in front of them.

Sirius sat back in his chair and shrugged. "Guess not," he mumbled, still sporting an amused expression.

McGonagall looked at him with shock before sighing and sitting across from him. She looked as if she was having an inner battle of wills before she finally laughed a little herself. This time Sirius and Remus looked confused - McGonagall was laughing? It was a bit unnerving, and Sirius almost wished she was still angry with him so he would know the world had righted itself again.

"Thank you…" She mumbled once she had regained her composure.

"For traumatizing you? I mean, you're welcome, I can do it again tomorrow if you want…" Sirius said, bewildered. Remus himself had started chuckling.

"I'd rather you didn't, Black, but I'm thanking you because I think you reminded everyone here today that it's okay to laugh. Times are getting darker… but it's nice to have the reminder. It makes me think of when you two were boys, when James and you would pull those ridiculous pranks on everyone at the start of the first war… you brought Hogwarts laughter when no one wanted to laugh."

Sirius and Remus shared a knowing smile, then turned back to her. "So what you're saying is, I'm a genius and you appreciate my pranking skills?" Sirius said with a smug smile.

"Not quite, Black. But I suppose I am saying I'm glad you're here, because you're giving everyone, especially Harry, hope and laughter. And both of those things can be hard to come by. Keep up the good work." She made to walk out of the room, but then turned back around. "I take back what I said earlier… you have grown up a lot. You're a good man."

After that, McGonagall took her leave and Remus looked at Sirius incredulously. "I guess it helps that she can't give you detention anymore, huh?"

"That was my motivating factor, dear Moony. Well that, and she was right. I mostly did it for Harry. He's so stressed about this second task… he needs to have a bit of fun. Speaking of which, I'm sure he's just dying to see his hero of a father." Sirius said with a sly grin, walking out of the teacher's lounge, Remus at his heels.

Remus chuckled as they walked towards the Gryffindor common room. "Don't let it get to your head, Sirius, I'm sure McGonagall will find a way to get you back."

* * *

A few weeks after classes started back, Moody himself had returned to lessons. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE," he yelled as he walked into his fourth year class. Normally this declaration would frighten the students, but most were so used to it by now that they didn't even turn in the direction of the shout.

"Today," Moody started, clunking to the front of the classroom, "we'll be continuing our study of the Unforgivable Curses that I started at the beginning of the year. I was told that I shouldn't show you them if I wasn't going to teach you to defend yourself, so I figured I should get on that part. POTTER."

Harry jumped, surprised that Moody wanted him to help out after he told Remus about his last lesson that involved the Unforgivables. "Sir?"

"Come up front, please. You will be demonstrating the imperius curse and how to resist it." Moody said smugly, sitting at his desk in the front.

"But Professor, you can't use it on Harry… that's… that's illegal!" Hermione squealed. Most of the class looked equally horrified at the idea, but Harry stood and walked to the front of the room regardless.

"Atta boy. Now, I'm not going to make him actually do anything drastic, and if I do I give any of you permission to run out and get the closest teacher. I'm just teaching you to resist it. _Imperio…"_ Moody mumbled, pointing his wand at Harry.

Harry felt a watery calmness run across his nerves; he felt relaxed entirely. Then he had a strange urge to jump on top of Ron's desk. _That would be a stupid thing to do,_ a voice in the back of his head said. He didn't move, simply stared at the desk. The desire to jump on top of the desk grew, but he remained still, allowing the other voice in his head to grow louder.

Finally the relaxed feeling left him and he turned back to Moody; the class looked confused, seeing as Harry didn't do anything but stand there. "Good job, Potter." Moody said, walking towards him. "You resisted. What made you resist?"

"A-a voice in my head pointed out what a stupid idea it would be for me to jump on Ron's desk." Harry said.

For a second, Moody looked angry. Then he gave a gruff laugh and pushed Harry back towards his seat. "Good job. Constant vigilance, Potter."

* * *

"Are you going to tell Remus?" Hermione asked Harry frantically after class.

"I… I don't think so. I mean, no harm done, right? Who knows, it might be helpful. He taught me how to resist it." Harry said with a shrug.

" _He_ shouldn't be using it in the first place," Hermione said, her voice growing to a higher pitch. "They're illegal. Besides, remember how upset he made Neville in the last Unforgivable class? And you?"

"Come off it, Hermione," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "He made it up to Neville, didn't he? Gave him that book about water plants or something. It's all Neville talked about for days."

"I still think you should at least tell Sirius, Harry. He's your father now, he'd want to know-" Hermione started, before the three realized they were being followed.

"I would want to know what?" Sirius said, looking down at the three with an amused, but concerned expression.

Hermione gave Harry a pointed look before she grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him towards the Great Hall for dinner.

Harry gulped and met Sirius's kind grey eyes. "Well… I mean, I guess it might be perceived as a big deal, but it didn't bother me, really."

Sirius no longer looked amused, and he pulled Harry away from the students to the west, first floor corridor. "What happened?"

"Moody gave us another… interesting lesson about the Unforgivables… but this time he had a purpose behind it. He used imperio on me and showed me how to defend myself."

Sirius's expression was torn between disgust and being intrigued. "I… I don't know if that was a good idea or not, Harry. I'll explain my suspicions tonight, this isn't the time," Sirius said, gesturing back towards the Great Hall. Harry nodded and walked with his father back towards his classmates.

* * *

"Okay, well, it's complicated, Harry." Sirius started when they returned back to his quarters after dinner. "Moony and I don't exactly share the same views on who's trying to hurt you, but we both believe it has to do with Voldemort getting stronger. The Death Eaters have been far too active lately. I… I don't know what to believe in some cases. It's odd to me that Moody disappeared the same time Pettigrew escaped, but Moody was my old mentor when I was an auror. It goes against my nature to believe he would be a death eater. It's also odd that he… well, you heard he was attacked by Death Eaters the night before he came to Hogwarts? It just doesn't add up to me. And why would he teach you to protect yourself from the imperius curse if he wanted you dead?" Sirius paced the room for a moment before realizing that he was babbling. "But I digress - my main suspicion is Igor Karkaroff, the headmaster of Durmstrang. He's a coward, but he was also a fairly dangerous death eater at the time. Wormed his way out of Azkaban, supposedly gave the Ministry some important names of previous death eaters. It worries me that he's here now, with the tournament going on… it's awfully convenient."

Sirius finished his explanation with a sigh before turning back to face Harry. He sat on the couch beside him in his quarters and pulled him close to him. He kissed the top of Harry's head, then mumbled against his hair. "Just be smart and be safe, okay kiddo? I can't lose you."

Harry nodded against his godfather's shoulder. Things were getting darker, Harry could tell, and with the second task approaching and him still having no idea how to complete it, he was feeling lost. Sirius started rubbing circles on his back and Harry closed his eyes, comforted, at least for the moment, that things would be okay as long as he had his Siri.


	22. The Return of Barty Crouch

A/N: I had some major problems writing this chapter. I'm worried I wrote Sirius and Harry out of character, but, at the same time, this Harry isn't quite the same as in the books. He's been abused; Sirius on the other hand, I'm aiming to be similar to the books and movies (though more so the movies). I can't really imagine him punishing Harry too intensely, but I remembered the letter he sent Harry in Goblet of Fire when Harry went out with Krum that night, and felt that this was an appropriate chapter to add and fairly important to the plot. Tell me what you think, and please tell me if they're too out of character. Thanks!

"Harry," Krum called, walking up to him in the Great Hall before breakfast a few mornings later. "Can ve meet up tonight? I vant to ask you somefing about Hermione."

Harry looked up at him skeptically but nodded, "Yeah, sure, what time?"

"Nine, in vront of the Forbidden Forest." Krum said simply before walking over to his Durmstrang friends.

"What do you think that's going to be about?" Ron asked, glaring after Victor. Despite Victor being one of Ron's idols before the start of school, Ron had begun to hate him. Harry believed it had something to do with Hermione, but he didn't express this to his friend.

"I don't know," Harry said with a shrug, turning back to the book Hermione had gotten him that she believed would help him figure out his golden egg.

* * *

"Harry!" Cedric called in the hallways after breakfast, running up to Ron and him.

"Blimey, mate, every champion is trying to talk to you today." Ron said, exasperated.

"I know, it's kind of odd…" Harry mumbled, turning to walk towards a grinning Cedric. "What's going on?"

"You helped me with the dragons so… I wanted to help you with the golden egg clue… take a bath." Cedric said, smiling maniacally.

"What?" Harry asked, wondering if it was a joke.

"Take a bath, you can use the prefects bathroom on the fifth floor. The password is fizzing whizbees. Just trust me, okay?" Cedric mumbled before turning to meet up with his friends again and leaving behind a baffled Harry.

* * *

"Hello Harry," Victor said as Harry approached the edge of the forest.

"Hi, what's going on?" Harry asked, not really liking the idea of being out so late with an opponent.

"I vas just vondering… do you like Hermione?" Krum asked, turning incredibly serious.

Harry had to bite back a laugh to avoid annoying his opponent. "Like Hermione? Heck no, she's my best friend."

Krum visibly relaxed and looked as if he was about to comment, but then the bushes rustled behind him. Both boys immediately tensed and looked to the forest. "Barty Crouch?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Weaselby, if you will- Harry! Need Dumbledore…" Crouch mumbled, latching onto Harry's arm.

"I'll go get him sir, you have to let me go though." Harry said, slightly panicked at the odd behavior.

"NO. Don't leave, you can't… oh Weaselby, good, my coffee." Crouch said, going from a fearful expression to one of contentment.

"Hagrid!" Harry yelled, watching Hagrid walk out from his hut in the distance.

"'Arry?" Hagrid yelled back, starting to head their way.

"Hagrid go get help, quick!" Harry yelled, still trying to pry Crouch off of him. Then, everything went dark.

* * *

"Harry! Harry, can you hear me? Listen to my voice, come on." A gentle, yet panicked voice spoke in his ear, urging him out of the darkness.

"Whuzgoingon?" Harry mumbled, willing his heavy eyes to open. He was laying on the ground outside the Forbidden Forest, staring up into the eyes of his livid father.

Sirius huffed in response, then stood. "Thank you for coming to find me, Hagrid. I'll take Harry. Will the other boy be okay?" Sirius asked through clenched teeth.

Harry tensed - Sirius seemed angry with him, furious even. He could hardly even remember what had happened prior to him passing out.

"Dumbledore's taken the boy to Karkaroff, he 'as no idea who stunned 'em. When we got here he told me to go get you and said there wasn't anyone else nearby. As ya know, Moody came out 'ere too." Hagrid said, shrugging before walking back towards his cabin.

Sirius nodded before turning back to Harry, still frighteningly angry. "Can you walk?" He asked sharply.

Harry swallowed and nodded as Sirius helped him up, not ungently. Sirius then walked off ahead of him and Harry stood frightened for a moment before realizing he had to follow. He had never seen him so angry, and the tense silence that had surrounded them hung thick - Harry felt as if he was suffocating.

* * *

As soon as they had returned to his quarters, Sirius had nudged Harry forward into the living room. Harry immediately turned to face him, as if he was scared to have his back to him. He met his father's eyes with - was that fear? Sirius swallowed and stepped forward reaching his arm out. Harry cowered away, jumping behind the couch and hugging himself.

Sirius stopped, completely shocked at the reaction. He stood there for a second, feeling the rage completely drain out of him. Had he been that threatening? Surely Harry didn't think he would hurt him, did he?

Sirius thought back to his actions in the last hour; yes, he had let a tense silence hang in the air on the walk back between Harry and him. However, he had done that on purpose. They couldn't talk about it out in the open like that, so he wanted to discuss the matters privately with Harry back in his quarters. In truth, he was angry with him. Harry had completely gone against his wishes recklessly, even after he had told him of the suspicious activity of Igor Karkaroff. But did Harry really think that Sirius would hurt him out of anger?

Sirius's intentions had been to place a hand on his son's shoulders to get his attention, then lecture him. He probably would have sent him to his room for the evening, maybe taken away his broom privileges or one of his upcoming Hogsmeade visits. But he wasn't going to hit him out of anger - he hadn't even considered taking him over his knee. So why was Harry so afraid?

Sirius knew Harry would continue to be afraid of him if he didn't calm down, so he stepped back towards the kitchen and sat in a chair, breathing deeply. He could hear his son's quiet sobs from behind the couch and he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He had done this to him, he had frightened his son so badly that Harry's only reaction was to cower away… but how was he to be a parent if he couldn't even discipline his son? Harry said he thought of him like a dad, did he not trust him? Even after all this time of Sirius showing him nothing but affection?

But Sirius wasn't daft; he knew in his heart that Harry didn't think he would hurt him. The boy had panicked and this was his response to that, whereas Sirius's response to panic was to be angry and rash.

Sirius took a deep breath and stood up again, willing his facial expression to take one of love and concern and not of anger. Harry's discipline could wait, his son needed him.

Sirius gently walked around the couch and looked his boy, still curled in a ball on the floor. He heard Harry whimper, and Sirius mentally cursed the Dursley's for doing this to his normally brave and strong son. "Puppy," he started gently, "you aren't at the Dursley's, you know that. I won't _ever_ hurt you or berate you for a mistake."

Harry swallowed, then slowly looked up and saw his father's kind grey eyes emanating love. Harry didn't make a move to go to him, but Sirius knew it was safe for him to get closer, to put an arm around his son, without panicking him.

Sirius pulled Harry close to his chest and rubbed his back. "Harry, when I stepped up to you a minute ago, I was going to place my hand on your shoulder. We needed to have a serious talk, that was all. Why were you so afraid of me?"

Harry swallowed again and buried himself into his father's embrace. "Just… you had the same look in your eye that Vernon used to have, whenever he was going to throw me in my cupboard or… hurt me. You seemed so angry and you've never directed it at… well, me. I didn't realize people could be reasonable when they were that angry."

Sirius pressed a kiss to Harry's black hair, then spoke. "I will never lay a hand on you out of anger, puppy. I will admit that I was unbelievably disappointed in you tonight. After all the precautions we've been taking to keep you safe this year, you willingly walked right into danger tonight, knowing what I've told you about the people from Durmstrang."

Harry stayed silent, burrowing deeper against Sirius, soaking up the comfort, but also listening to the chast words.

"I don't know what Victor's intentions were - they could have been pure. But he also could have been leading you straight to Karkaroff to do who knows what. I couldn't have lived with myself if something had happened to you tonight." Sirius said, tightening his grip on Harry.

"But nothing did," Harry mumbled, not meaning it as an argument, but instead some form of comfort for his distressed father. "Victor was hurt, and I don't think Karkaroff would hurt his own student when he could have gotten me, right?"

"I didn't say it made sense - none of this does. Nothing is adding up right now, but that doesn't matter. The point is, knowing the dangers that are out there, you went on a late night stroll with someone you don't know well at all. You know I can't let you get away with that." Sirius said, a strict tone returning to his voice.

Harry nodded against him, waiting to hear his punishment.

Sirius sighed. "I panicked tonight, Harry. When Hagrid ran to get me and said you were involved in something that happened outside the Forbidden Forest, I thought the worst. That's why I was so angry when I realized you were okay - that was my reaction to panic, and I've always been that way. I was so scared something had happened to you, and then when I found out nothing did, I wanted to make you realize how severe the situation was. I wasn't thinking about your past or your perception to the situation, and I hope you will forgive me for the way I behaved."

Harry looked up at him, shocked. He wasn't expecting to hear Sirius say that - he thought he was going to tell him that he'd take his broom away or keep him from seeing his friends for weeks.

"Of course I do, Siri." Harry mumbled after a moment of looking into the kind, but sad, grey eyes.

Sirius visibly relaxed, then gently grabbed Harry's chin. "Thank you. Now, as I said, I won't stand for you endangering yourself the way you did tonight. I warned you and you disobeyed me. For that reason, you aren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade this upcoming weekend. Understand?"

Harry nodded again, trying to figure out a way to explain to Cho that their date was canceled. Then, as if remembering something odd, looked up at him with a curious expression. "You aren't going to wallop me?"

Sirius smiled gently, brushing Harry's bangs off his forehead. "No puppy. I had considered it on the way here, I know we talked about it before… but I didn't know how you would react since you got so upset a second ago."

Harry looked up into Sirius's eyes and tightened his features. "You can do it, I'm not afraid."

Sirius placed a hand on the back of Harry's head and pressed him into the crook of his neck. "I know you're brave, Harry. Hopefully there won't be a time when I'll need to again, but if there is, I'll decide on a suitable form of discipline. Let's just stick with the Hogsmeade punishment today. I don't think I can bare to do it right now, even though I know you can handle it."

Harry relaxed in Sirius's arms and felt his eyes getting heavier. "I'm going to fall asleep, Siri…" he mumbled, not wanting to burden his father anymore by having to make him take him to bed.

Sirius pulled Harry closer and stroked his hair. "Shh," he said gently, silently thanking the heavens that his boy was safe in his arms and nothing had happened tonight.


	23. The Second Task

A/N: I love the feedback! Continue to suggest scenarios and I will try to incorporate them. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, even though it's different than what I've done earlier in the story. Enjoy!

"What do you mean you _can't_ go to Hogsmeade this weekend! It's Valentine's Day!" Cho said, her expression one of anger.

"I told you, Sirius punished me, but it's my fault. I made a mistake… it's okay though." Harry said with a shrug, not really understanding what the big deal was. In truth, he wasn't really that upset about his "punishment." He'd gotten a lecture from Sirius and was told he couldn't go to Hogsmeade this coming weekend, but there would be other village dates throughout the rest of the year. He was sure there'd be one in March that Cho and him could go together for. Besides, Sirius said he'd keep him company this weekend while his friends went to Hogsmeade, which in Harry's opinion, wasn't a punishment anymore. He loved spending time with his father.

"It is _not_ okay!" Cho exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "Everyone will be with their boyfriends that day, I'm supposed to just go by myself?"

Harry frowned but shrugged again. "Well, I'm sorry. I can't do anything about it, Sirius won't just change his mind."

"You are such a daddy's boy!" Cho yelled angrily. Harry was taken aback; Malfoy had said that to him before, but he just thought he was trying to get under his skin. He didn't think any of the other students actually thought of him this way. Before Harry could retort, Cho started up again, this time louder. "You'd do anything for your precious daddy, wouldn't you? You're like a child, you just don't think about anything else besides what daddy and you are going to do together!"

"Stop it!" Harry yelled back, horrified. They had been sitting outside and half of the students nearby had walked up to watch the scene unfold.

"No, it's true!" Cho yelled, not noticing all the people that were standing around them. "Ickle baby Potter loves his daddy more than his girlfriend! If that's the way you're going to be, I'm done with this!"

Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw professors walking over, surely to stop the scene, but he didn't want to stick around either way. Sirius was probably with them and the last thing he needed was his "daddy" to come to his rescue. He stormed off, pushing a couple of first years out of the way to get back to his common room.

He heard Sirius yell his name after him but he walked away regardless, not wanting to talk to anyone at the moment, especially not his father.

* * *

"That girl was terrible, Moony. Saying those things in front of everyone, no wonder Harry wasn't in the Great Hall tonight. I'm worried about him though… he's avoided me since it happened. He stormed out of class today before I could say anything to him." Sirius said as he sat beside Remus on the couch.

"Kids can be terrible, Sirius, but it's not your fault. It will blow over by tomorrow, Harry's probably just embarrassed and doesn't want to talk about it." Remus said, frowning.

"I hope you're right… I'm sure he was humiliated, I would be if I was fourteen and being called a daddy's boy. It's ridiculous. I can't help but think he wouldn't have these problems if I didn't come to work here. He might have had a more peaceful year-" Sirius started, interrupted by Remus.

"Don't say that, Sirius. What would Harry do if you weren't here? He wouldn't have gotten past that dragon! You have supported him so much through this tournament, he needs you. Besides you're his guardian and you have the right to punish him, and he deserved it for walking out there with Krum. He even took responsibility for that. It will be okay." Remus said, patting Sirius's shoulder.

* * *

The day of the Hogsmeade trip came, but Harry didn't go to see Sirius like they had planned. The week had only gotten worse since his argument with Cho - the slytherins had affectionately given him the nickname of "daddy's boy" and made sure he heard it whenever they were around. To top off the other kid's taunting, Rita Skeeter, a terrible journalist that had been targeting Harry and the Hogwart's staff, wrote an article about how endearing it was that Harry had finally found a "daddy" to replace his deceased father. She included the fact that Harry "cried to Sirius every night" about his parents and how much he missed them, and his classmates had no trouble making fun of him for acting like a baby.

When Harry didn't show up to hang out with him that Saturday, Sirius began to worry. He had heard the taunts, but was advised by the other faculty to ignore it and let it pass. He, of course, had agreed - it would only embarrass Harry more to be defended by his father on that subject.

By dinner that evening, Sirius was worried sick. The students had returned from Hogsmeade, but there was still no sign of his son. Ron and Hermione had assured him that he did not sneak into Hogsmeade, and expressed their own concerns about him.

"He normally isn't this distant when people do this - he's been picked on before, I'm sure he's told you. For some reason this is bothering him worse than before." Hermione said with a frown.

Sirius nodded and walked on towards the staff table, hoping Harry would show up for dinner at some point. Remus had put a hand on Sirius's shoulder when he sat down and Sirius huffed. "He hates me, Moony."

"He does not, Sirius. He loves you, he's just embarrassed. He's avoiding you so people quit calling him a daddy's boy, that's all. Once they stop, he'll go back to his normal self. You just gotta think about it through his eyes - if he walked around the castle with you today, the people that were here would make a big deal out of it. It's not personal." Remus said with a sympathetic smile.

Sirius huffed again, then began to pick at his food. Regardless of the problem, Sirius was going to talk to his son in his class on Monday, even if he had to force him.

* * *

"Hey look! It's ickle baby Potter. Excited for daddy's class today?" Draco said, walking up to where Harry and his friends were waiting outside Sirius's charms room.

"Stuff it, Malfoy," Ron said, stepping in front of Harry.

"Awh, ickle baby can't even fight his own battles. Doesn't surprise me, he doesn't need to after all. Not with daddy here to protect h-" Before Draco could finish his sentence, Harry had lunged at him. Draco had been expecting it though, and both were punching and grabbing at one another - that is, until firm arms pulled them away from one another.

"What exactly do you two think you're doing?" Sirius exclaimed, clearly angry. Harry didn't cringe though - he gave Sirius the dirtiest look he could muster.

"Fifty points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin. Get inside, all of you. Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, both of you will receive a detention this week." Sirius said, pointing at the door. The truth was, Sirius didn't want to give Harry the detention. Sure, he shouldn't be fighting, but he couldn't really blame him. He had heard Malfoy's taunts, and they made his blood boil; however, as a professor, he couldn't be partial. If he had spared Harry, the rumors about him being a daddy's boy would have only gotten worse.

The class passed in a tense silence, despite the the exploding charms the students were practicing. Harry barely spoke to anyone and didn't even attempt at the charm throughout the double period.

As the students packed up, Sirius asked Harry to stay after in as strict of a voice as he could muster. He figured students would assume he was going to tell Harry off and not baby him, and he hoped this would help with the rumors as well.

When the last student had left, Sirius walked over to Harry's desk. Harry was looking away, not trying to meet his father's eyes. Sirius's heart clenched - he didn't understand why Harry was directing all his anger at him. "Harry, why are you avoiding me?"

Harry huffed, but didn't answer, clearly not wanting to be there.

"Look," Sirius started angrily, losing his patience. "I didn't want to give you the detention. You shouldn't be fighting but I can't blame you for it, not after what Malfoy was saying. But don't you think the rumors would get worse if I had let you off scot-free and punished Malfoy?"

"There wouldn't even be any rumors if you weren't here!" Harry exclaimed angrily, standing up. Sirius was taken aback. Did Harry really mean what he thought he meant?

"What… what do you mean?" Sirius asked, surprised at Harry's quick movement.

"If you hadn't started teaching! Nobody would say anything about me being a daddy's boy. I'd still be "the orphan" otherwise. To be honest, I'm kind of missing that right now." He added angrily, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

"You don't mean that," Sirius said quietly.

"Oh, I do. You aren't even my dad! You'll never be!" Harry yelled, storming out of the classroom. Sirius sat there for a second, shocked. Harry had never said he was bothered by Sirius's place as a father figure in his life - in fact, he had seemed to like it before. Sirius didn't think the rumors were that bad to cause Harry to be so angry, and he still didn't get _why_ Harry was so angry at him. He moved back to his desk to grade papers, feeling the saddest he had since being in Azkaban. One of the terrible ideas that taunted him in his nightmares was actually coming true - Harry hated him.

* * *

"It's practically been two weeks Moony!" Sirius exclaimed the next Saturday. "He won't even look at me. I haven't done anything other than be there for him and he hates me!"

"Sirius," Remus said, encouraging him to sit down near him in front of the lake. "Harry doesn't hate you! I don't really know what his problem is, he's just a teenage boy that's angry and under a lot of stress with this tournament. He'll get over himself and realize he misses you. He probably already has realized it, to be completely honest. His ego mirrors that of James's sometimes, he just doesn't want to be taunted anymore."

"I think I have a solution," a gentle voice said from behind the two men.

"Professor Dumbledore," Remus said, turning around. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" Sirius also reluctantly turned around to face the headmaster.

"Sirius, the second task involves the champions diving into the lake and saving a hostage. To make the goal desirable, the hostages will be the person that the champion loves the most. Harry's person, of course, is you." Dumbledore said with a small smile.

Sirius looked surprised, "Harry hasn't talked to me in weeks, in case you haven't seen Dumbledore. I doubt he'd be that upset if I was taken hostage. Besides, wouldn't that make the kid's taunts worse? Harry has to save his father?"

"On the contrary, Harry loves you very much," Dumbledore started. "He would be devastated if he thought you were in danger and would go to great lengths to save you. That's why I think you should be his hostage. The kids taunts are only part of the problem. Harry needs to realize how much he loves you for him to get over this, and this is the best way for him to discover that. Not to mention, maybe it will help him realize that the things the other kids are saying don't matter - what matters most to him is family and love. It always has been that way, he just needs to be reminded. Of course, I won't force you to do it, I'm sure he'd be equally as willing to save Mr. Weasley. I just thought that this might help the situation."

Dumbledore smiled at Sirius and Sirius huffed. "If you really think it will make a difference, I'll do it. I just hope he has a change of heart after it happens. Does he even know what the second task is? Last time I talked to him, he hadn't even figured out the clue."

"Ah, I think he has. I believe Mr. Diggory felt himself in Harry's debt for the dragon clue and helped him out." Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling. "Also, let me reassure you that you won't be in any danger with this task. The mermen will return you if your champion fails to complete the task; however, I have a feeling Harry would sacrifice himself before he failed this task."

With that, Dumbledore took his leave and Sirius sat back down at the lake's shore. "I hope this works," he mumbled to Remus.

"I think Dumbledore's right, Sirius. Harry just needs to realize how much you mean to him for him to look past his injured ego. It might not help the taunts, but it will help Harry and you, and that's what matters." Remus said, smiling at his friend before throwing a rock into the lake, only to have it thrown back at him by the giant squid.

* * *

It was the night before the second task and Harry was completely lost. He had taken Cedric's advice and uncovered the merpeople's warning in the egg by listening to it underwater. Since then, he'd been in the library trying to discover a way to breathe underwater for an hour, although he had to admit, he didn't know what to expect. The merpeople had taken something from him according to the egg, but he honestly didn't know what they would have stolen that would mean so much to him. His firebolt? Sure, he didn't want to lose that at all, but he wouldn't be completely devastated he supposed. He shrugged after scanning his eighth book of the evening and then turned to Ron and Hermione.

"Have you guys found anything?" He asked hopefully, beginning to worry that he would make a fool of himself.

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing - I mean, there's the bubblehead charm, but really we can't help you learn that. Maybe if you talked to Sirius, since he is the charms professor-"

"I'm not talking to Sirius," Harry said, cutting her off. "I don't need my precious _daddy's_ help with this, I can do it on my own."

"Harry, you don't mean that. Remember how much he helped you for the last task? You'd really rather look like a fool than make amends? It's not his fault you know, he didn't start the taunting. All he did was show you some affection throughout the year, which most fathers do anyway." Hermione pointed out angrily.

"Yeah mate, everyone's being completely unfair with you. I'd be lying if I said my dad didn't hug me everyday. I love hanging out with him, it's not abnormal for you to want to spend time with Sirius. Cho's just being a bit-"

"Ron," Hermione warned before turning back to Harry. "You should just go talk to him, Harry."

Harry bit his lip and looked down. "I mean, I miss him a lot and I know he would help me… I feel so guilty. I was a prat last time we talked, but I know it's not his fault. I've just been so angry and confused about this entire tournament and about Rita Skeeter and Cho breaking up with me. It was easy to blame him for it, I didn't mean to hurt him. He probably doesn't even want to speak to me."

"Oh, Harry, Sirius loves you. You know he does. Come on, lets go-"

"OUT!" Madam Pince yelled at the three, interrupting Hermione. "You're being far too loud and it's past curfew. The library's closing, get out."

"I haven't figured out-" Harry started before being interrupted by Madam Pince's glare.

"I don't care, laddie, you've had your chance. OUT!"

* * *

Harry ignored Hermione's advice to ask Sirius for help, feeling as if he didn't deserve his father's help for the way he treated him. He'd talk to him after he humiliated himself in the task and ask to be forgiven.

The next morning came early and Harry was awoken by Dobby apparating on top of him. "Mr. Harry Potter Sir! Dobby is here to help, you must go save your Siri!"

Ron shot out of bed at the strange sound coming from Harry's four poster, then glanced at the clock. "Harry, we're late! We overslept, you're going to miss the task!"

As if on cue, Hermione came running into the room. "Harry! What are you doing, you've got to get to the lake!"

"What does it matter," Harry groaned, getting out of bed regardless. "I don't have a way to breathe underwater." Then, as if realizing what Dobby had told him, Harry turned around. "Wait, Dobby, what did you mean I have to save my Siri?"

"The merpeople have taken your Siri, Sir! You've got to save him from them. I got you some Gillyweed, if you eat it you can breathe underwater for the entire time."

The information sent Harry into action. "THEY'VE TAKEN SIRIUS. THEY'RE GOING TO DROWN HIM IF I DON'T GET TO HIM." He exclaimed, tripping over himself in an attempt to get dressed. "THANKS DOBBY!" He yelled before bolting out of the room and running to the lake, Ron and Hermione at his heels.

When they got there, Harry met McGonagall. "Good, Potter! I was worried you weren't going to show up. Come on, over here." She lined him up beside the other three champions and Harry stared down at the ominous water. He had never really learned to swim well at the Dursleys, so he hoped this Gillyweed would work.

At the sound of Ludo Bagman's voice, the champions cast their spells and jumped in, Harry the last to join after consuming the plant. He felt a weird sensation in his neck and extremities. Once the sensation disappeared, Harry realized that he could breathe underwater because gills had appeared on his neck. His hands and feet had webbed up so he could swim better. He smiled, internally thanking Dobby for helping him, before setting off into the dark depths of the lake.

He swam for what felt like hours, unsure if he was going the correct way. He didn't meet any trouble in the lake, which surprised him more. Surely the task wasn't this easy?

As if on cue, Harry felt a strong tug on his leg. He turned to find a grindylow pulling him under. He acted immediately, using his wand to stun the pesky creature, before continuing on. After a few more minutes, Harry reached a group of caves with merpeople standing around it. He eyed them apprehensively, then, realizing that they weren't going to attack him, sped along at full force to find Sirius.

He came upon a giant archway, which had four hostages attached to it. He immediately located Sirius tied to the top of it, seemingly unconscious. Harry's heart jolted - he couldn't be dead yet, could he? As he passed the other hostages, he noticed Cho was there, and Harry was curious as to who her champion was. One of the other hostages was a young girl that looked exactly like Fleur - presumably her sister. The final hostage was an older lady that looked of a different ethnicity, which Harry thought to be Victor's mother. He was immensely glad he wasn't the only one with a parent taken as a hostage - maybe he could use that as an excuse if the taunting continued after the task.

He felt an immediate twinge of guilt for thinking about his classmate's name-calling again. That didn't matter, he had to save his father, whom he loved more than anything. Who cares if people made fun of him? He had his Siri, and that's all he needed - or he hoped he still had him.

Once he reached Sirius, he checked for a pulse, immediately relieved when he felt one. He swam down to grab a sharp rock and cut the ropes off Sirius. His father continued to float limply. He turned and looked out at the empty waters, and worried. Surely it had almost been an hour? Where were the other champions? After waiting a few more minutes, Harry turned to break Cho's ropes, only to be pushed away by a merperson. "She's my friend too!" Harry tried to say, though his speech ended up being full of bubbles.

"Only one!" The merperson rasped out. Harry looked back at Sirius, who appeared now to be sleeping peacefully. Harry couldn't just leave them all there, where were the other champions?

He waited around, and soon Victor came swimming down; he had transfigured his head to appear like a shark. He helped the older lady out of her ropes and swam away, back up to the surface.

None of the other hostages showed up and Harry was starting to worry. He couldn't leave Cho and the little girl. He made a quick decision, and hacked off the two girls ropes, despite the resistance from the merpeople. He grabbed both girls by the arm and swam them to the top of the lake, pushing them upward so they'd float to the surface. Then, swimming with extreme agility, he returned to the merpeople and grabbed Sirius, refusing to leave his father behind.

Halfway back to the top of the lake, he felt a burning sensation in his neck. He realized the Gillyweed was going to stop working. He felt his hands and feet returning to normal and he paddled harder; when he had almost broken the surface of the water, he felt a tug on his leg and looked down to find a grindylow. With the last bit of strength he had, he pushed his father up to the top of the water and attempted to yank himself from the creature's grasp.

He pulled hard but he couldn't do it. He couldn't breathe, his lungs were on fire and his entire body was freezing. The February water was finally attacking his system, and he realized he wasn't going to make it. Then, he felt strong arms wrap around him and pull him up to the surface of the water. Once above the surface, he met Sirius's smiling face before blacking out entirely.

* * *

"-too heroic for his own good," Harry heard faintly. The voice held laughter in it, but Harry didn't quite recognize it.

Another voice, a girl's, responded, "I'm zo thankful, he zaved my zister!"

Then another girl's voice, "And me. I can't believe he'd save me after the way I treated him…"

"-saved almost every hostage down there, I'm so proud of him." The last voice Harry recognized to be his father. Wanting more than anything to speak to him, he willed his eyes to open. He realized he was still outside at the lake, but he was wrapped in four blankets and lying down on the ground. Hermione, Ron, Sirius, and Remus, were directly around him and Cho, Cedric, and Fleur were standing off nearby.

"What…" Harry started, before going into a coughing fit.

"Shh, Harry don't talk. The task is over, you saved three of the hostages. The judges gave you a full fifty points even though you were out of the time limit." Sirius explained, smiling down at his son. "You're in first place."

He helped Harry into a sitting position. "Really?" Harry rasped out, surprised. "But I almost drowned, you helped me."

"I think they made an exception for that," Sirius said chuckling. "You showed a lot of morale fiber by not only getting your own hostage, but two others when you realized their champions weren't coming. Especially since you got down there first. The merpeople told the judges what happened. James and Lily would be so proud of you…" Sirius hesitated for a moment before adding, "I'm so proud of you."

Sirius looked as if he wanted to hug Harry, but didn't want to embarrass him. Harry didn't let him make the decision because he lunged at him after he finished his sentence, hugging him and apologizing for the way he had acted. Sirius chuckled and hugged Harry to his chest, stroking his wet hair, while Remus, Hermione, and Ron smiled at the two.

The moment, however, was short-lived, because Cho interrupted them. "Harry…" She started, walking up to the group. Harry flushed and looked away, not wanting her to ruin the moment for him.

"I just… why did you save me? After the way I treated you? I shouldn't have, I was horrible to you. I told Rita Skeeter what happened and she publicly humiliated you. I shouldn't have called you a daddy's boy-"

Harry cut her off immediately, not wanting to listen to what she was saying. "Don't bother apologizing, that's not an insult. My dad's great." He turned back to Sirius, who had frozen at Harry actually calling him _dad_ for the first time, but had a smile on his face nonetheless. Cho walked away, confused, and Sirius pulled Harry back into a hug, both of them feeling the happiest they had in weeks.

Ron, Hermione, and Remus walked away to give them a moment. After being embraced for a few minutes, Harry mumbled "I love you, dad." Sirius felt his heart swell up at the words and was so thankful Harry had finally stopped avoiding him. He pulled him closer to his chest and whispered, "I love you too, pup."

In the days after the task, Harry followed Sirius around as often as possible, wanting to make up for lost time and simultaneously ensure that no one else tried to take his father hostage. Sirius didn't mind this in the least, and welcomed his son's attention. He informed Harry about the rest of the second task, like how Cedric and Fleur had both gotten attacked by Grindylows and were taken out of the task. He also told him time and time again how proud he was of his actions in the task. Harry was on top of the world, and he was so happy to have his father back in his life that he completely ignored any of the remaining taunts the Slytherins threw out. After all, to him, being a _daddy's boy_ was the biggest compliment he could receive.


	24. Memories Lost

A/N: Just wanted to explain a few things from the last chapter. If you're upset about Cho and Harry, don't worry, I have more planned for the two of them (though I admit I might have made her more of a dramatic character than she was in the series). As for Krum, I kind of felt like Hermione might avoid him a bit after he got Harry in trouble since they're best friends, but I also did want one of the contestants to have another parent sent down instead of Harry being the only one. As for Cho and Cedric? You'll find out :) Keep up the feedback, it's very helpful!

Despite Harry's personal change in heart about the taunting, Malfoy was not quick to let him forget what a pathetic child he was. He sought him out during lunch, dinner, and breaks, determined to make his life miserable even if all the other students had grown tired of the original joke.

It was only because Sirius had advised him not to give into Malfoy's taunting that Harry hadn't attempted to hex him; he felt he owed it to his father to behave after all that had happened. A few weeks after the task, however, things got out of hand, even by Sirius's standards.

The Slytherin's and Gryffindor's had been in Care and Keeping of Magical Creatures with Hagrid when Malfoy had begun to insult Harry. Hagrid had, of course, gone to Harry's defense and gave Malfoy a detention for his bullying.

"What an oaf!" Draco huffed angrily as he narrowly avoided the fire being shot at him by one of the blast-ended skrewts.

"Hush up, Malfoy." Harry said icily, tired of his taunting and definitely not appreciating his anger being thrown at Hagrid.

"Oh look at Potter being brave! I'd be careful, daddy won't always be around to save you." Draco said with a mischievous look, the other slytherin's snickering at his comment.

Hermione grabbed Harry's shoulder and pulled him back to where their skrewt was. "Harry don't listen to him, he's not worth it."

"This is coming from the girl that socked Malfoy in the face last year?" Harry asked, brightening up a little at the memory.

Hermione tried to put on a scolding expression, but her resolve softened. "You know what I mean, Harry. Sirius would not be happy if he heard you fought Malfoy."

"He'd understand," Harry mumbled, attempting to feed their skrewt.

"Regardless," Hermione huffed, turning back to their project but not pushing Harry further.

After class the trio walked back towards the castle on their way to lunch. Once inside, Harry reached for his wand, only to find it wasn't in his holster that Sirius and Remus had given him. "Guys, I think I left my wand. I'll be back."

He was almost out of the corridor towards Hagrid's hut when he felt a strong pull backwards. His stomach lurched - he was really hungry for lunch, but realized immediately that wasn't why he felt sick.

"Petrificus totalus!" Malfoy yelled, causing Harry to go stiff. "I tried to warn you, Potter, where's daddy now? Oh, and I'll be keeping this. You really shouldn't leave your wand by your skrewts, you know. Anyone could grab it during class." He smirked and threw Harry into the closet, but not before using some type of cutting hex on his chest. Harry could smell his blood soaking through his robes and his stomach lurched again, but he couldn't do a thing - he was frozen. "Oh, before I forget," Malfoy said in his slow drawl. " _Obliviate."_

With that, he locked the door to leave Harry to bleed out.

* * *

"Remus, why isn't Harry in here?" Sirius asked during lunch, looking to the empty seat beside Ron.

"I'm not sure, Sirius. Maybe ask Hagrid? I think he had his class last, right?" Remus asked, also looking confused.

"Hey Hagrid, you haven't seen my son have you?" Sirius asked as Hagrid passed. He couldn't help but notice the smug look on the Slytherin fourth year's faces or Malfoy's dramatic display of a boy going stiff.

"No, Sirius, 'e left with Hermione 'n Ron as far as I know." Hagrid said with a shrug, turning to go to his seat and eat.

A bad feeling manifested itself in the pit of his stomach and Sirius stood immediately to walk to Hermione and Ron. When he got there, Hermione was talking before he could even mention Harry.

"Sirius, Harry's missing!" Hermione exclaimed, worry claiming her features.

"I see that," Sirius said, becoming significantly more worried, since his friends seemed to be concerned as well. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"We were in Care of Magical Creatures and Malfoy started taunting him, but he ignored him because he knew you would be disappointed if he tried to fight. Then while we were walking back to lunch, Harry realized his wand wasn't in his holster so he ran back to Hagrid's cabin to get it. We haven't seen him since!" Hermione exclaimed, shooting a disapproving look to Ron who was stuffing his face, despite his best mate missing.

Sirius looked back at the Slytherin table, where Malfoy was continuing his charade of mocking what he assumed to be Harry. "I think I know where he might be," Sirius growled, walking away from the Gryffindor table and over to the Slytherin's.

"Mr. Malfoy, do you know where I might find my son?" Sirius said in a deathly cold voice.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, professor." Malfoy said, smirking.

"Oh, I think you do, Mr. Malfoy. If I find that any harm has come to my boy, any at all-"

"You'll what?" Malfoy challenged, grinning wildly. "You can't do anything to me because you have no proof that I even laid a hand on ickle baby Potter."

Sirius growled but held himself back, willing to keep hold of his temper. "Oh, believe me, Malfoy, I can. You're not the only pureblood here, and though I denounce the name, I am in fact the Lord to an extremely powerful wizarding family - and _if_ I find that you've attacked my heir, then your father might run into some political troubles, among other things."

Malfoy looked taken aback at the threat, but his features turned angry immediately. Sirius walked briskly away before the boy could say anything, intending to find Harry and make sure he was safe. He had an inclination that Malfoy had been involved, but surely another student wouldn't bring too much harm to one of their peers? He could only hope…

* * *

"Where's the Potter boy now, Wormtail? Did Crouch's plan work?" Voldemort hissed to his servant.

"Y-yes, master. Crouch used the imperius on young Malfoy and he has disposed of him in a cupboard. He's been obliviated and he's weak." Pettigrew whispered, insides twisting in fear.

"Good… the boy needs to stay that way until the third task, it will make our job easier if he's weak. I trust that Crouch will do his service to me."

Hundreds of miles away, a young boy's scar burned, but he couldn't do anything about it because he was frozen stiff.

* * *

When Harry hadn't returned for dinner, the staff went into a panic. It was clear that he wasn't in his dorm or common room, and he hadn't attended his remaining classes of the day. Teachers and students alike knew that this wasn't like him and most set out to scouring classrooms and hidden spaces in search of the boy-who-lived.

None, however, were as worried as Sirius Black; he was many things, but patient was not one of his qualities. He needed to find Harry and find him soon, or he would never forgive himself. He had promised to protect him and yet Harry had been attacked so easily - right under his nose. He had many suspicions on who he thought would attack his son the past year, but surprisingly, Malfoy hadn't been one of them. After all, he was still a boy, and he couldn't imagine him being a Death Eater at such a young age; however, family ties ran deep, no one knew that better than Sirius. Malfoy had grown up with his pure-blooded maniac of a cousin after all, surely he would hold their principles to high esteem.

He shook himself out of his thoughts then sped on through the hallways, using his animagus senses to sniff out any sort of trail of his son.

* * *

Moody clunked through the hallway, using his magical eye to look in broom cupboards and hidden passageways. Finally, he reached the one; he saw Potter, lying petrified in the cupboard and bleeding.

"Aye, Potter. You've given us quite a scare. _Enervate."_ Moody grumbled, watching as Harry gasped and then passed out due to blood loss. "Alright, best get you to the hospital wing."

* * *

"Sirius, let me search. You're exhausted, you've been looking non-stop since lunch. You won't be any good to Harry if you're too tired to move." Remus said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "He's my responsibility too, have a little faith in me."

Sirius sighed desperately before turning his attention to Remus. "I do have faith in you, but I can't just rest when I don't know where my child is. I'm worried sick, and I know Malfoy knows more than he's letting on."

Before Remus could reply, McGonagall came running down the corridor towards them. "SIRIUS, REMUS! WE'VE FOUND HIM!"

Both men leapt into action. "WHERE?" They both shouted, eager to find him.

McGonagall was breathing heavy from rushing, but her face took one of solemnity as she faced her two previous students. "There's bad news - he's in the hospital wing. Whoever it was cut him with a hex, looks like fairly dark magic. If he had been left too much longer, he might have bled out."

Sirius face took one of contorted rage and he made to run to the hospital wing, only to be grabbed by McGonagall. "What? I need to see him!"

"Sirius, there's one more thing you should know… Madam Pomfrey is a bit worried about his mental health. She did a diagnostic spell and- he's been obliviated, but it was done poorly. You know how dangerous that can be without an official obliviator performing it. For all we know a student could have done it. We won't know how bad his brain's damaged until he wakes up." McGonagall mumbled, tears in her eyes.

Sirius looked at her helplessly before turning to Moony, as if begging him to jump out from behind them and say "april fools!" His face mirrored Sirius, and Sirius let out a dry sob before attempting to regain his composure and running off to the hospital wing. Remus thanked McGonagall and ran after him, praying that their boy wasn't permanently injured.

* * *

He felt a consistent, dull throb in his head. He heard voices but didn't recognize any of them. He was frightened, scared to open his eyes and find himself in danger. He let out a small whimper and the voices surrounding him immediately hushed. He heard what sounded like footsteps and the room got eerily quiet.

"Harry?" A gentle voice asked. It was a man's voice, but it didn't sound familiar; however, it also wasn't threatening, so taking a leap of faith, he opened his eyes and looked. A handsome man with long, black hair and kind blue-grey eyes was looking at him with anticipation, as if he'd been waiting to talk to him for years.

He wasn't sure what this man would want with him, but he seemed nice enough that he could ask him a question. "Harry? Is that… my name?"

The man's face immediately fell, but he nodded. "Yes, that's your name. You don't remember…"

"Sorry," Harry said, getting a little more comfortable with his surroundings. It looked as if he was in a hospital of sorts, but he wasn't sure where exactly. There was a nurse in the corner tending to a young kid with a broken arm, but other than him and the man beside Harry, the room seemed to be empty. "Where am I?"

"You're at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in the hospital wing to be exact. Do you recall… well, anything?"

Harry shook his head slowly. Everything was foggy - he tried his best to think back to the last time he was awake and faint memories came to mind. "Well, I guess I remember a few things. I remember a green light, though I'm not sure from where. I remember a large, fat man, not sure who he is either. And… I…" Harry looked at the man carefully before deciding that he did in fact look familiar. "I kind of remember you. I'm afraid I don't know your name though. How old am I?"

"My name is Sirius, Harry. And you're fourteen and a half this month." Sirius said, looking extremely sad.

"I can tell you're upset," Harry said, disturbed that the man seemed to dislike talking to him so much. "Why?"

"Well… It's complicated Harry, but I'm your father… well, legally at least, but we'll talk about that later. You've lived with me the past six months and we've spent a lot of time together, but… well, you were injured today and I don't think you remember me. That's why I'm upset, I didn't want anything to happen to you." Sirius said, giving the boy a sad smile. Even after being obliviated, Harry was his caring and kind self. Sirius was going to kill whoever did this to his boy.

"Pardon me, sir, but if you're my father, how come I've only lived with you for six months?" Harry asked, relieved to hear that he was related to this nice man, but also thoroughly confused.

"Well, that's the complicated part I suppose," Sirius said, chuckling bitterly. "I'll explain it to you, but do you mind if I get the nurse? She should probably examine you and make sure everything's okay."

Harry nodded and Sirius walked over to Madam Pomfrey. "He's awake, but he doesn't know anything about who he is. He said he faintly remembered me and his uncle… and apparently the night his parents died. Other than that, he's completely lost. Is there anyway we can know if this is permanent?"

Madam Pomfrey gave Sirius a sad look and shook her head. "I'll check his vitals and see if I can see how extensive the damage is - but this is why people must train to become obliviators! Brain damage can seldom be fixed with magic, things can go horribly wrong. If he's only lost his memory, I would venture to say we were pretty lucky. But I will check - as for the memory, that will probably need to either be relearned or… well, we can hope that it will come back on its own, but it's unlikely. As for the cuts and blood loss, I've completely corrected that. He just needs blood replenishing potion every once in a while and he'll be back to normal soon."

Sirius sat down on a nearby chair and put his face in his hands. He had taken the last six months and devoted his life to Harry and now he didn't even remember any of it; the two of them had come so far, Harry had finally started calling him _dad_. It just wasn't fair, his boy didn't deserve any of this. He let out a dry sob, only to be shushed by Madam Pomfrey.

"The brain damage fortunately isn't very extensive, although I'm not holding out hope on his memory returning. The best we can do is give him a week off from class to allow him to get reaccustomed to everything, and then hope he learns quickly from there," She placed a hand on Sirius's shoulder and looked at him with sad eyes. "I'm sorry I can't offer you anything else, Sirius. Just make him as comfortable as possible, surround him with familiar things, and give him the love you usually do. It will get better. I've given the boy dreamless sleep, feel free to move him to your quarters. I hate to say it, but he probably doesn't need to be in public for a while… I can't believe he was attacked right within the castle walls!"

Sirius attempted to pull himself together and walked back to where Harry was sleeping. He lifted the boy into his arms and repressed yet another sob before walking back to his quarters. Once he had tucked Harry into bed in his room, he sat on the couch to wait on Remus, who was talking to the Headmaster about their suspicions of Draco. He silently started crying - crying for the boy that had experienced so much negativity and yet deserved it the least. Sirius silently begged the heavens to allow Harry's memory to return when he woke up.

 _Not my Harry, please._


	25. Back to the Basics

A/N: Two posts in one night! This idea came to me out of nowhere tonight and I loved it so much I couldn't stop writing. So here it is! Will Harry get his memory back? Keep up the feedback! Thanks!

The next morning Harry woke up in a completely different place than where he remembered falling asleep. His first instinct was to panic; however, the room was oddly familiar and comforting - like he had been here before and enjoyed his stay.

Slowly, he picked himself up out of bed. He noticed he was wearing a pair of pajamas that he hadn't seen yet. They had little snitches on them floating around - Harry thought it was odd. He didn't remember ever really liking quidditch as a sport, but then again, he couldn't remember _anything._

Harry moved over to his dresser and pulled out a red t-shirt and jeans. He got dressed then walked outside to find the man from the night before and a new man sitting at a table in the middle of the room. He cleared his throat to get there attention, still a little nervous about the strange situation.

"Harry!" The man from the night before- Sirius?- exclaimed, motioning him to join them at the table.

"Er- hi." Harry said quietly, taking a place at the table.

The new man looked at him with a smile, but also a pained expression. "How do you feel?" He asked, and Sirius looked at him as well.

Harry thought for a second… how did he feel? He was very confused and sore. He finally found the word that best described him at the moment: "lost." He said simply.

Both men shared a sad look before turning back to him. "You still don't remember anything?" Sirius asked gently.

Harry shook his head. "I mean, I remember what you said yesterday… that you're my legal father. What does that mean anyway?"

Sirius sighed; he looked even more upset than he had the night before and Harry had the odd feeling that it was because of him. "Harry, I wanted to wait and see if you got your memory back before I told you this, but I guess we might as well get it over with. Your biological parents died when you were a baby. They were murdered by a terrible man, but you stopped him. No one knows how you did, but the man died that night and hasn't really been heard from since. There's obviously a lot more to the story, I'll clue you in over time. Anyway, I was your biological father's best friend - we were like brothers. And, in the case that anything should happen to them, they asked me to take care of you; they made me your godfather."

Harry looked thoughtful at the explanation, as if the idea of his parents being murdered didn't phase him - that scared Sirius a bit. "Last night you said you were my father though."

"Right, well, when your parents were killed, I was actually framed for a crime I didn't commit. I was in prison for twelve years, and I escaped last year to check on you. Once I got my name cleared, I became your legal guardian and you moved in with me and away from your relatives that you grew up with - you said you… remembered your uncle." Sirius looked pained to remind him of that.

"That fat man? A little, just what he looks like." Harry said with a shrug.

"Well, they didn't treat you right, Harry. They treated you badly, so I took you… and from what I could tell you really liked living with me. So, I adopted you officially. That's why you're my legal son… I'm just not your actual biological father. Before you lost your memory, that didn't matter to you though; we always said we were as good as father and son."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll call you dad. It just doesn't seem right to me."

Sirius felt his heart clench at that, but he nodded nonetheless; he had to force himself to be patient with Harry and hope that his boy would remember him soon enough. Remus reached out and squeezed his shoulder, and then Harry turned to him. "Pardon me, but who are you?"

Remus smiled at Harry again. "I'm Remus Lupin, Harry, I was another one of your biological father's friends. I'm a partial guardian of your's, in the event that something were to happen to Sirius, I'd have visitation rights to you and what not."

Harry nodded, accepting this explanation. "Okay… so then, you mentioned Hogwarts last night. What's that exactly? I remember a bit about wizards but… I don't see what that has to do with me."

Remus and Sirius spent the majority of the following days reminding Harry of everything they knew about his life. They pulled out the photo album Sirius had given Harry for Christmas and showed him all the photos in it - from his baby pictures to the more recent one's of the three of them at their home this past summer. Sirius gave Harry his summer letters from Ron and Hermione and soon brought them in to visit him as well. Despite this, nothing seemed to be working. It had been almost a week since Harry had lost his memory and he still seemed as confused as the first time he woke up after being attacked.

Once they had been sure Harry's strength had returned, they took him out to walk around the grounds, hoping the familiar sites would trigger some type of memory. None of it seemed to work, Harry just gazed out at the scene with a glossy expression. The biggest disappointment came when Sirius took him out to the quidditch pitch and told him to try riding on his firebolt. Harry had shot up in the air with ease, which Sirius had expected; he may have lost his memories, but Harry's natural athletic talent couldn't be taken from him. However, when Harry had returned to the ground he had a frightened facial expression.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Sirius asked, alarmed at how scared his son seemed.

"Just… don't make me do that again, I hated it." Harry said, handing him back the broomstick and walking towards the castle.

If Quidditch, one of Harry's favorite things in the world, couldn't bring back any memories, Sirius knew it was a lost cause. Harry would have to relearn everything - and it would need to be quick, he still had one more task to complete before this blasted tournament would be over.

Sirius felt like dropping to his knees and crying right there; of course, he knew he couldn't. He had to be strong for his son. But Harry would start class again tomorrow, and Sirius couldn't help but be worried sick for him. Sure, Ron and Hermione had promised not to let him out of their sight again, but he had a bad feeling about it all. Surely if Harry couldn't remember how much he loved flying, he wouldn't be able to remember any of the spells he had learned the past three and a half years. Sirius sighed and followed his son back to the castle, feeling as if a dementor was slowly sucking out his own soul.

* * *

The next morning Harry woke up in the bedroom in Sirius's quarters. He remembered Sirius saying he was expected to be at class today; he didn't know why, but he was a little worried. The way Sirius and Remus had described it, Hogwarts wasn't just a typical school; not to mention, Harry had no recollection of what he had learned the past four years.

The morning started out decent; Harry went to Sirius's class, and he helped him get caught up on some of the first year charms he had forgotten while everyone else continued their work on exploding charms. Harry's wand had not been retrieved, so he had to use an old one of Dumbledore's for the time being, which was making him a lot slower at learning the spells than he normally would have been.

Following this class, Ron and Hermione stuck close by Harry, and they went to Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid was alarmed when Harry didn't remember him at all, and cried to Hermione afterward about the "poor lad," while Ron took Harry to the Great Hall for lunch.

Nothing really exciting occurred until after lunch, when Ron, Harry, and Hermione were walking to transfiguration together. Malfoy walked up with a smirk on his face. "Ickle baby Potter, got your memory back then?"

Harry looked surprised. "Who are you?"

Malfoy himself looked shocked, but carried on with his taunting. "Awh, poor baby can't even remember his own name probably. Pathetic, Potter, can't even-"

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm going to need to ask you to leave Mr. Potter alone." Sirius said, his voice deathly quiet.

"Or what?" Malfoy asked maliciously, still basking in the fact that he hadn't been caught attacking Harry; granted, he couldn't quite remember exactly _what_ possessed him to do so, but nonetheless, Potter seemed fine overall.

Sirius's face held no humor. "Detention, tonight, my office. Understood?"

Malfoy scowled at him, but remembering the threat from the week before from the charms professor, walked away before he pushed his luck.

Harry stared after him. "I… I don't get it. Why was he so mean?"

Hermione and Ron both looked surprised, but Sirius gave Harry a sad smile. "Not all of us are nice people, Harry. I'll see you this afternoon, try to stay out of trouble."

Sirius walked away, still upset at how distant Harry was with him. All Sirius had wanted was to wrap Harry in his arms and hug him, but Harry would barely look him in the eye. Sirius had been upset when Harry was intentionally ignoring him a week or so ago before the second task, but at least then Sirius had known (deep down) that Harry would get over it and come back to him. Now… well, Sirius had no idea where he stood with Harry. Harry didn't think he was good enough to be his father anymore since they weren't biologically related and he had no recollection of their time together - this broke Sirius's heart the most. Harry couldn't remember why Sirius, a man that had chosen to take him in, meant so much to him; all he knew was that his actual father was dead. In his mind, this meant he was an orphan and didn't need Sirius. Sirius had expressed this often to Moony and had cried more in this week alone than he could remember in his life. He was still secretly hoping that _somehow_ Harry would get his memory back.

* * *

If Harry was confused about Malfoy's behavior, he was downright shocked in potions the next day. Snape had acted like his usual self, bullying the majority of the Gryffindor's for no reason; however, Harry didn't remember his usual behavior, and was taken aback when Snape completely got rid of his entire potion.

"Hey!" Harry yelled angrily. "What did you do that for, sir? I was still working on it."

Snape looked slightly taken aback at Harry's outburst; the kid normally just brooded when he messed with him. Regardless, he kept his voice at his usual cold drawl. "It was a despicable excuse for a potion, Mr. Potter."

"What was wrong with it?" Harry asked incredulously, not understanding his professor's behavior.

Snape frowned, "twenty points from Gryffindor for questioning me."

"W-what?" Harry asked, completely shocked, ignoring the glares his classmates were sending him.

"We'll make it thirty, since you don't seem to know when to shut your mouth, Mr. Potter." Snape said, a malicious smile crossing his features.

With that, Harry stormed out of the room to find Sirius, completely confused about this crazy school and the people he was meeting.

* * *

"SNIVELLUS!" Sirius yelled, practically running down to the dungeons the following evening. "How dare you?"

Snape gave Sirius a terrible glare and Sirius fleetingly thought _if looks could kill._ "What do you want, Black?"

"How dare you treat Harry like that today? He's ill, Snape. That's low, even for you." Sirius spat out.

"It is not your business how I run my classroom." Snape drawled out, narrowing his eyes as Sirius clenched his fists.

"But it is my business when you treat my son terribly. I know sometimes I see him as his father and that's my mistake, but Harry is _not_ James. Just because you hated James doesn't mean you have any right to take it out on his son. Harry is a kid, he had nothing to do with how we treated you or how you treated us. What happened in class today should have shown you that! He was completely respectable to you and you bullied him, just like you do to every child that isn't in _your_ precious house." Sirius said, raging.

"Get out of here, Black, I don't have time for your childish games." Snape said, drawing his wand and aiming it at Sirius.

Sirius drew his as well and they stared at one another for what felt like an eternity. Finally, Sirius lowered his and gave Snape a loathing glare. "Just leave my son alone, or you'll hear worse from me."

"I'm quivering," Snape spat as Sirius turned to leave. Sirius rolled his eyes and left to find Harry, hating how upset he had been after his stupid potions class, and hating, more than anything, that the boy couldn't remember how he had been before that dreadful day almost two weeks ago.

* * *

The rest of the week passed by normally, and Harry seemed to be slightly less tense with his circumstances. He was starting to get his bearings, and Madam Pomfrey said that that was a good sign, and that hopefully Harry would be back to his usual self in a year's time. Sirius didn't want to wait a year though; he missed his smart, kind, and brave son, and wanted more than anything to have that boy back.

He missed hugging his son, missed flying with him on the weekends, and missed more than anything the easy way he had called him "dad" after the second task of the tournament.

And then there was still the blasted tournament - Harry would still have to compete, despite basically being back at a first year level of magic. Sirius's heart was aching and he fleetingly thought that if it had meant that Harry wouldn't have to endure so much pain, he would have stayed in Azkaban for thirty more years, all for his boy to be happy.


	26. Curious

A/N: So I've had a few people ask me to keep Harry's amnesia for a while in the story - you might be mad at me! Trust me, I have ulterior motives for Harry's attack, you'll see soon. Also I have mixed up a few curses and counter curses, so I apologize for that, I'll try and go back through to fix those. Keep up the feedback!

"We've got to tell him, Moony. He's at the level of a first year and the wand Dumbledore gave him is not helping matters. He needs to know how hard he has to train for this last task. He needs to know his life depends on it!" Sirius exclaimed desperately.

The two friends were sitting in Remus's quarters that morning, since it was Friday and neither of them had morning classes. The following Monday would make two weeks since Harry's accident and his memory was not improving.

"I know, Sirius and I don't disagree. Albus is looking into obliviation to be sure there's nothing we can do for his memory. I just don't want to stress Harry out right now when there's a chance that we can restore his memory." Remus said with a sigh.

Sirius put his face in his hands. "This is bad, Moony. And we can't even accuse Malfoy for doing it!"

"If he really did it, he was smart about it. Obliviating the only witness… if he's caught he could be thrown in Azkaban for that."

"They won't," Sirius said with a look of distaste. "Not with Lucius being as highly ranked in the ministry as he is. If he's caught he probably wouldn't even be expelled."

"Well, the public is furious," Remus said, matter-of-factly. "They hate to think that their savior was attacked at his school. You saw the article Rita Skeeter wrote, right?"

"What? You mean the one where she denounced me as a parent and Albus as a headmaster for letting him be attacked?" Sirius said coldly.

"Well yes, but the public isn't so concerned with _that_. They care more about whether Harry will be alright - he's the chosen one, after all. If it comes to light that Malfoy did this, then the minister will be in a fairly tight position - lose Lucius or lose his job." Remus said quietly.

Sirius looked thoughtful. "You know, you're right; regardless, I hope Malfoy doesn't try anymore tricks. Sure, it would get him in huge trouble, but the public is also demanding that they revoke custody of Harry from me for letting him get attacked."

"That's not your fault, Sirius, you work here. You can't physically watch him every second of the day. Half the people saying these things are at home right now while their child runs around this school unattended entirely. They're hypocrites, no one can revoke your custody." Remus said, putting a hand on Sirius's shoulder.

Sirius huffed. "I've been getting the feeling lately that Harry doesn't even want to live with me anymore…"

"Sirius, stop. He's not in his right mind, he's ill. You know that. Besides, he hasn't come out and said that, has he?" Remus asked, slightly worried. He knew Harry was distant with Sirius, but he figured it was just because he couldn't remember all that the two of them had been through.

"No, I guess not. He just won't even talk to me - it's like I'm his annoying roommate or something." Sirius said, frowning.

"Maybe try talking to him tonight? Explain why he called you dad before, it might help him with his memory to be reminded of how much you care for him." Remus suggested.

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, I'll probably ask him after dinner. Thanks Moony."

Remus smiled at his friend before they both got up to go prepare for their classes.

* * *

"Well well, if it isn't the daddy's boy." Draco drawled out on the way to transfiguration.

"Why do you keep saying that?" Harry asked, looking disgusted at this strange blonde boy that wouldn't leave him alone. "I don't have a dad, mine died."

Hermione and Ron gave each other a sad look and Draco appeared surprised. "Wait, Potter… what? I'm talking about Professor Black."

"Sirius? He's not my dad, he's just a guardian. Don't be daft." Harry said with a shrug, walking on through the corridor ahead of them.

"Just leave him alone, Malfoy, you've done enough already." Hermione threatened, following Harry quickly so as to not leave him by himself. Ron went to follow her but felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Weasley… I really didn't do it… I mean, I remember... but I don't think I did." Draco mumbled, kind of shocked about how badly injured Harry was.

"Malfoy, you aren't making sense. Just leave him alone, or you'll hear from us." Ron said, giving him a dirty look before following Harry and Hermione.

The truth was, Draco remembered casting the spells on Harry and locking him in the closet - it had almost seemed right at the time, but he couldn't remember ever actually having the _motivation_ to attack him; it's as if someone had taken over his mind entirely for those few minutes.

Sure, Draco wasn't unhappy about the circumstances; he didn't need to be, his enemy was so out of it, he could barely perform a basic levitating charm. However, Draco couldn't shake off the guilty feeling, no matter how much his father praised him for his behavior, that he had seriously injured someone that hadn't done anything wrong.

* * *

"Excuse me, Sirius. Can I ask you something?" Harry said that evening when he had returned to Sirius's quarters.

"Of course, pup, what's got you down?" Sirius asked with a smile, scooting over on the couch.

Harry looked at him funny and Sirius realized what he had said. "Sorry, that was a nickname I had for you before… anyway, it's okay. Ask away." He mumbled sheepishly, still trying to keep a happy demeanor.

"That weird blonde kid keeps calling me a daddy's boy… but I don't get it? I don't have a dad." Harry said, sitting down on the couch beside Sirius, but keeping his distance.

Sirius attempted to tighten his features, but he was sure some of his sadness was slipping through. "Harry… he's saying that because you used to call me dad. We spent a lot of time together before your attack."

"But you _aren't_ my dad," Harry said innocently, still not understanding. "I know you look out for me and I stay with you, but isn't that where it should end if you aren't my real parent?"

"Not necessarily, Harry. You mean a lot to me, it's always been that way, even when you were a baby." Sirius said gently, trying to convey the meaning to Harry.

"I just… don't feel that way." Harry said, clearly confused. He didn't understand why this man cared so much for him when he couldn't remember who he was at all. Sirius looked stricken at his words. "Why are you upset?" Harry asked, noticing this immediately.

Sirius bit back tears in his eyes and tried to smile. "It's nothing, Harry. I just… I hate that this happened to you. I know you feel lost."

Harry nodded. "I wish I could remember my parents. Could I remember them before I lost my memory?"

Sirius, if possible, looked even more upset at that. "No, you couldn't. I'm sorry, Harry."

"Oh," was Harry's simple response. "So I'm just alone then? No parents or anything?"

"You definitely aren't alone. You have Remus and me, and we're your family." Sirius said gently, putting a hand on his son's shoulder.

"No you aren't," Harry said, still holding a tone of apathy. "You aren't my dad and neither is he, you guys never will be."

Sirius was shocked; Harry, despite not remembering it now, had said this once before, right before the Second Task. This time though, he actually meant it. The lack of emotion in his words told Sirius that; Harry really couldn't ever imagine a time in which he loved Sirius or Remus, in which they were his family. "Right," he finally choked out. "But you aren't alone, Harry. We're here for you regardless, and… we'll figure this memory thing out."

Harry seemed pleased with Sirius's answer because he nodded and got up to go to his room. "Right. Night then."

Once Sirius was sure Harry was in his room, he mumbled "night, son," and let the tears he'd been holding in fall. Sirius Black was not one to cry, but this reminded him of a night thirteen years ago, the night his world fell apart. It was as if his world was falling apart all over again, except this time he wasn't losing his brother. This time he was losing the boy who felt like a son, and it hurt just as much as it had that night so many years ago.

* * *

Sirius had stayed up half the night with Remus, telling him about what Harry had said and worrying about what this condition meant for the future. By three in the morning, Remus had finally convinced Sirius that he needed sleep so that he could be well-rested for Harry, but that didn't stop either of them from waking up early the next morning to continue their conversation. They hushed themselves immediately when they heard Harry walk out of his room around eight in the morning.

"Morning, dad, Moony." Harry said, stretching as he entered the kitchen and sitting down at the table.

Sirius looked up from the Daily Prophet he was pretending to read and gave Harry an incredulous look. Harry just called him dad? That was fast, he seemed very against the idea of anything other than "Sirius" last night.

Remus looked shocked too, but he had a smile on his face. "Good morning, Harry."

Harry smiled back at him, but then looked to Sirius. "What are you looking at, Siri? Take a picture, it'll last longer. Is Dobby bringing up some pancakes?" Harry asked, chuckling at his father's strange expression. He wasn't quite sure why he was in Sirius's quarters this morning - last he remembered, he was going back to Hagrid's cabin for his wand, but this morning he woke up in his bed. His memory had never been fantastic, so he just assumed nothing particularly interesting had happened and he blocked it out.

Sirius took on a bit of a maniacal look. "Harry, what happened in the Second Triwizard Task?"

Harry was caught off-guard. What did Sirius mean? He had been there too.

"Harry, answer me!" Sirius said, looking slightly more crazed.

Harry thought his dad was off his rocker. He turned to talk to Remus. "So he's finally lost it then? Can't say it comes as a shock."

Remus roared with laughter, recognizing immediately that Harry had gotten his memory back. "No, Harry, Sirius is fine… he's just checking… well, what's the last thing you remember?"

Harry thought for a second. "I guess when I lost my wand yesterday and had to go back to Hagrid's cabin to get it? I also remember being hit in the chest pretty hard, but I don't remember any details of that. It's weird, I've never had a great memory, but everything from yesterday is fuzzy. And to answer your question-" Harry said, turning to a still shocked Sirius. "I saved your arse in the second task… as well as Cho and Fleur's sister. And well, I guess you may or may not have kept me from drowning too, that's still up for speculation."

Sirius finally registered what his son was saying and his face broke into a huge grin. "So you remember everything then? From last summer and on?"

"Of course I do, dad, I'm not some old man like you that-" Harry started, interrupted by a bone-crushing hug from Sirius. "Oi, gerrof!" Harry mumbled against Sirius's chest, weakly attempting to push him away. Remus was laughing in the background and Sirius pulled back to look at Harry, still beaming.

It was Harry's turn to look incredulous. "Merlin, Siri, what's up with you this morning? You sure he's alright, Moony?"

Sirius was a little choked up, but still managed to keep smiling as he said, "I'm alright, Harry. In fact, I would daresay I've never been better."

Harry still looked at him wearily. "Good to hear… I'll leave you two to talking, don't want to be late for class…"

"Actually, Harry," Remus spoke up, trying to breathe through his mirth at Harry thinking his father had gone crazy. "It's Saturday."

Harry looked at Remus like he had grown a second head. "Saturday? Yesterday was Monday though! I had your class," he said, turning back to Sirius, who was giving his son a sad smile.

"Well… maybe you should sit down, Harry, we need to clear up some things for you." Sirius said sheepishly, putting his hands on Harry's shoulders and gently lowering him onto the chair he had just vacated.

The two explained to Harry about how he had been attacked almost two weeks prior and had been improperly obliviated. They told him that he hadn't remembered anything hardly, including that Snape and Malfoy hated him. Sirius got a little choked up when he mentioned that Harry barely knew who he was, and Harry was shocked.

"Surely I knew you, I had to! How could I forget my dad?" Harry asked, leaning into Sirius to try and comfort him some.

"You recognized me as a familiar person, but that was about it. You didn't know Moony or well... anyone. Not even Ron and Hermione. It was bad, puppy." Sirius said, wrapping his arm around his son and hugging him.

"And I've really been out of it for two weeks?"

"Yeah, you have Harry. You tried to go to class this week and we did our best to put you in a familiar setting." Remus said with a small smile. "I'm surprised it just all came flooding back to you overnight."

"I'm so happy it did," Sirius mumbled, pressing a kiss to the top of Harry's head, who immediately swatted him away with a playful smile.

"Harry," Remus said, gently, needing to talk to him a bit more before he let Sirius and him get too comfortable. "Are you sure you don't remember _anything_ from the day you were attacked? Padfoot and I have our suspicions, but we have no evidence, seeing that you were obliviated. If you know who did this to you, please tell us."

Harry thought hard but shook his head. "Honestly, I don't think I remember… wait, did I get my wand back?"

"We can't really get it if we don't know who to ask," Sirius said, giving his son a sympathetic look.

"I guess I need to search for it then… I won't survive the last task without it." Harry said glumly, still trying to rack his brain for his attacker's face.

"Yeah, and speaking of this tournament," Sirius said strictly, "I'm not letting you out of my sight anymore if I can help it. I'd like for you to sleep in here as much as possible, and if you want to stay in the dorm always keep Ron or Hermione with you. People are getting bolder with their intentions to hurt you, and I _can't_ … no, _won't_ lose you, Harry."

Harry, though a little taken aback at the overprotectiveness for an attack he himself couldn't remember, nodded. "Whatever you say, dad. Would you mind escorting me to the Great Hall then? I'm starving."

Sirius barked a laugh and hugged his son again, thanking his lucky stars that his boy had survived yet another attack and promising himself - and James - that he wouldn't fail Harry again. _I'll do right by him, James, I promise._

A/N (again): This might seem like a lame ending to some people, but I promise I didn't just obliviate Harry for no reason! Stay tuned :)


	27. When I am Down

A/N: Fluffy bonding chapter, with some very important plot points thrown in for good measure. Enjoy and keep up with the feedback!

"Believe me, Sirius," Remus started when they arrived in the Great Hall that morning. "I'm just as thrilled as you are about this, but isn't it odd that Harry's memory just came flooding back to him? That doesn't really happen when obliviation malfunctions."

Sirius was smiling down at his son, who was talking to an emotional Hermione and an ecstatic Ron. "None of this makes sense Moony, and if I could keep him locked in a cage until this tournament ends, I would."

Remus chuckled at that. "I know you would Padfoot, I'd be right there with you if you wanted to do that. But… I'm worried him having his memory back is another trick by a death eater. I'm thinking it has something to do with legilimency, perhaps? When obliviation works, even if it's incorrectly, a person loses the memory in its entirety, no chance of getting it back. I think we had all accepted that as Harry's fate… so the question is, why is his memory back?"

Sirius frowned at this and turned to look at his friend. "You think he might have been possessed or something?"

Remus looked grim. "It's a possibility. That's the only reason I can imagine him being completely normal today. Someone attacked his mind when they physically attacked him too and they just now quit… or maybe it's some type of dark magic that's been thought up by whoever's targeting him. I think we should take him to my classroom today and see if he's back at the magical level he was before."

Sirius frowned, but nodded. He had been so excited that Harry remembered him again, _loved_ him again, that he hadn't even considered how odd the circumstances were. Remus was right; if Harry had really been obliviated, he shouldn't ever be able to remember anything from his past again. That meant that they weren't dealing with pure obliviation, there was more to this entire attack. His heart clenched, but he reminded himself that his boy needed him and that they'd get through this; they had to, Sirius wouldn't let it end without the three of them having a happy ending - as cliche as that may be.

After eating in the Great Hall, Sirius and Remus asked Harry to come with them to the classroom. Ron and Hermione joined them, and soon Remus had pulled out the closet that he kept a boggart in. "Harry, we're just checking something, considering the circumstances, okay?"

Harry nodded, "so just fight the boggart?"

"Well, I suppose in your case it's a dementor? I don't know whether we should start with a patronus considering how difficult it is…" Remus said slowly, looking to Sirius.

Sirius shrugged. "Let him try it, it will help us gauge what magical level he's at."

"Wait, Sirius," Harry started as Remus moved to open the closet. "My boggart is a dementor, do you want to watch… that?"

Sirius gave his son a small smile. "If you're that worried about your old man to the point that you'll be distracted, I'll step out. If I'm being honest I don't exactly fancy seeing one of those things again, and much less see it attacking you, but I'm not afraid of it."

Harry nodded at this, "I just wanted to check. Okay, Moony."

Remus opened the closet doors, but the dementor never came. Hermione, Ron, and Harry shared a confused look, and Harry walked closer to the closet. Then…

"BOY!" Harry staggered backwards, his eyes wide. Vernon Dursley stepped out of the closet, a belt in his hand, his hand reaching out to grab his frightened nephew.

"R-ridikkulus!" Harry gasped out, watching as the Boggart shifted into a pig. Then…

Still facing Harry, the boggart changed forms again. This time into Draco Malfoy. Harry heard Sirius growl and Hermione exclaim "oh Harry!" but this time Harry wasn't fazed. "Ridikkulus!" He bellowed, watching as Draco turned into the bouncing ferret Moody had transfigured him into earlier in the term.

"That was weird," Harry said, slightly angrily. "I'm not afraid of Malfoy! Little git."

"What if… you are?" Hermione said gently, walking over to Harry.

Harry looked at her like she was crazy. "Of course I'm not, why would I be?"

"Well, Harry… the past couple of weeks everyone's suspected that Malfoy was the one that attacked you. What if, subconsciously, you _are_ scared of him? You just don't realize it because you don't actively remember what he did."

"Hermione, that's brilliant." Sirius praised, walking over to the two.

Regardless, Harry frowned. "I don't feel scared of him at all. I'll walk up to him right now-"

"You will not." Sirius said sternly.

Harry rolled his eyes and grumbled something about mother hens, but they both knew he wasn't actually angry. Sirius smirked at him and ruffled his hair and Harry swatted at him.

"The thing is," Lupin started, turning to Harry before Sirius could retaliate. "Boggarts can get confused when there are a lot of people around, but they sense your deepest fears if you're the only one facing it. For obvious reasons, the dementor changed to Vernon… but the less obvious reason is Malfoy. I think Hermione's right. I don't think you are afraid of Malfoy, but I think subconsciously, you know something is threatening about him since you've been attacked."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe, I don't know how else to explain it. To be completely honest, I wasn't even expecting Vernon. I thought it would be a dementor."

"Speaking of which, we know he's got his third year DADA spells, let's see if he can still do the advanced stuff." Sirius said, motioning for Harry to try a patronus charm.

Harry walked back to the center of the room and pictured Christmas of the past year when Sirius had given him the photo album with the adoption papers. "Expecto patronum!"

An almost solid, silvery-white stag sprout out of the end of his wand and trotted around the room before slowly fading away. "Good, Harry!" Remus praised. "I guess that answers that question, your magic is fine. I just don't see why someone would attack you and make you forget who you were for two weeks with no ulterior motive."

Harry shrugged. "Dunno, but it seems like you guys are fairly sure Malfoy's behind it now. Can't we turn him in and get my actual wand back? I'm surprised I could even do the patronus charm with this thing."

"We can't," Remus said. "No one can prove that you aren't actually afraid of Malfoy for no reason. It's suspicious to us because we know you, but it won't be good enough for the ministry or really, Dumbledore. We need solid proof."

"That was a very impressive patronus considering you had someone else's wand, though." Sirius said, walking up beside Harry with a smile.

Harry smiled back, "I was thinking about you."

Sirius beamed at him and attempted to hug him, but Harry squirmed out of his grasp. "Merlin, you're being lovey this morning. I'll have to hex you if you don't quit acting like a mother-"

Sirius grabbed at Harry again, cutting his sentence off and ignoring his protests. "I'd like to see you try and hex me, puppy. One day you'll learn." He said with a bark like laugh, hugging his son close to his chest. Harry huffed against him, but accepted the hug by nuzzling into his father. They stayed like that while Remus, Hermione, and Ron cleaned up the classroom, all of them, including Harry, recognizing that Sirius really needed this moment with his boy.

* * *

After checking Harry's magical ability, Sirius took Harry flying, happy to see that his son thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't even remember the incident that occurred when he went flying while having amnesia. Then they all went and ate lunch, and Harry went to the dorms with Ron and Hermione to do some homework and hang out with everyone. As promised, though, he returned to Sirius's quarters that evening so that they could eat dinner together.

After Harry had gone to sleep that night, grudgingly accepting Sirius's demand to tuck him in, Remus and Sirius were sitting together drinking coffee in the living room.

"You were right earlier. That was an extremely impressive patronus for Harry using someone else's wand." Remus said with a fond smile towards Sirius.

"Well, Harry's a powerful wizard." Sirius said with a grin. "If he wants to be an auror, he'll be fantastic, just like James was."

"Though I don't disagree with that, I don't think that's why his patronus was so impressive. I've seen him do an impressive patronus before, but that one we saw today would put even the one that he did in front of the castle to shame." Remus said, chuckling.

"Okay… what are you on about, Moony?" Sirius asked, confused.

"I guess what I'm trying to say, is that now you _know_ how much Harry loves you. We stayed up all night last night because we were upset that Harry couldn't remember that he loved either of us… then today he performs the strongest patronus he ever has and his response when you complimented him on it was, 'I was thinking about you.' You're his happiest memory." Remus said with a smile.

Sirius beamed at his friend. "To think less than twenty-four hours ago, he said we would never be his true family. I was so relieved this morning when he asked if I had lost it."

Remus laughed, "Be careful with your craziness, Padfoot, Harry might try and hand you over to St. Mungo's if you keep coddling him the way you are."

Sirius barked a laugh. "He'll sit around and deal with it. I didn't get to hug him for two weeks, I have to make up for that lost time."

Remus smiled, but then turned towards Harry's door and held a hand up. "Harry, I know you're listening. Werewolf hearing, remember?"

Both Sirius and Remus chuckled when they heard Harry scramble back into his bed, then they got up and walked into the bedroom, where Harry was pretending to be asleep. Sirius changed into his animagus form and started licking Harry's face.

"Okay, okay! I'm awake, stop Padfoot!" Harry said, laughing despite his annoyance at having dog slobber all over him.

Sirius changed back and sat on the edge of Harry's bed while Harry curled up around him. "Why can't you sleep?" Sirius asked, putting a hand on Harry's back and rubbing it gently.

Harry's face changed from relaxed to slightly distressed. "I don't know, I was just thinking about some stuff. Nothing's wrong, Siri."

"Now, I know something's wrong. You only call me Siri when you're joking around, or when you're very upset about something. Wanna try again?" Sirius asked, continuing to rub Harry's back, but also giving Remus a knowing look.

Remus smiled and stepped out the room to give them privacy. Sirius was better with Harry when he was upset or sick because they could relate so well to one another. Sirius was also more affectionate than Remus, and Harry craved affection, even if he wouldn't admit it to anyone.

Sirius looked down at Harry in the dark room, waiting for Harry to speak.

"I'm sorry I upset you," Harry finally mumbled, burying his head against Sirius's leg as if he were a small child that just got scolded for something.

Sirius was taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

"I heard you guys talking just now," Harry mumbled. "I really don't remember saying that I didn't love you guys, but I feel really bad that I did. I love you both a lot."

"We know," Sirius said gently, trying to lift Harry so he could look at him. Harry burrowed deeper against Sirius's leg and Sirius frowned. "What's wrong Harry? You know we love you no matter what. Even if you didn't get your memory back, we would have worked through it and found a way. We still _are_ working through it with this attack and this blasted tournament."

"Nothing's wrong…" Harry mumbled, still not moving from his position against his father.

"Then look at me." Sirius said, gently ruffling Harry's hair and giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Come on."

Harry stayed still, face pressed into Sirius's lap. "Don't make me resort to drastic measures," Sirius said, sliding one hand to Harry's side and prodding his ribcage. Other than a quiet yelp and a swat, Harry didn't react. "Merlin you're stubborn. You know you can tell me anything, Harry."

"You'll think bad of me," Harry mumbled.

"I would never," Sirius said gently.

"You promise?" Came the muffled reply.

"I solemnly swear, now look at me." Sirius demanded, pulling on Harry's arm to help him flip into a sitting position. Harry was adamant on resisting, so Sirius just sighed and continued to rub Harry's back in circular motions.

After a few minutes, Harry finally mumbled, "I'm scared."

"I'd think you a fool if you weren't." Sirius said gently.

Harry finally rolled onto his back and met his eyes. "Moony said that to me once."

Sirius chuckled. "Moony's a smart man. I'll tell you a secret though."

Harry rolled his eyes, but still looked up at his father curiously, as if challenging him to turn this into a joke.

Sirius frowned a bit, then said, "I'm scared too."

Harry stared up at him for a second, then started laughing. Sirius turned to him, surprised. "What's funny? I didn't laugh at you."

Harry tried to stop his laughing, but couldn't. He reached in his nightstand and pulled out an old picture from the Daily Prophet. Sirius looked at it for a second, then turned back to Harry. "My mugshot?" He said, slightly amused, but extremely confused.

"It's just-" Harry tried, taking deep breaths. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate you telling me you were scared, but- mass murderer that's extremely dangerous… being scared?"

Sirius smiled and grabbed his son in a headlock. "Even dangerous criminals get scared sometimes, puppy."

"What are you scared of?" Harry asked, trying to push his way out of his dad's playful embrace.

"Hm… McGonagall, that woman has a temper. Let's see, I've never been a fan of cats, and McGonagall just happens to also be a cat, so I guess I'm afraid of them too-" Harry nudged Sirius and Sirius chuckled.

"What are you actually scared of?" Harry asked, genuinely wondering what horrors plagued his father.

"I'm scared of losing you," Sirius mumbled, pulling Harry into a more comfortable position against his side.

"Understandable, I am pretty great." Harry said with a grin.

"Don't let it get to your head. So what's scaring you right now then?" Sirius asked, grinning back at Harry.

Harry's face changed again from relaxed to distressed and he attempted to burrow into Sirius's side, as if trying to avoid this conversation.

"Oh come on, I told you what I was most scared of, now it's your turn." Sirius said, attempting to pull Harry back up.

"Well… I suppose it's a bit silly really." Harry mumbled, breathing in the familiar smell of his father while burrowed against his side - slight musk, a little firewhiskey, and, though Sirius would never admit it, fruity shampoo.

"You can tell me, I'll try not to laugh too hard," Sirius said with a smirk. "Though you did seem to find me being scared pretty funny."

"It's just, even if you weren't convicted, you're so brave. It's hard for me to think that anything scares you. But I guess… we sort of have similar fears." Harry huffed. "I don't want to lose Moony or you… and if people are targeting me, who's to say they won't try and go after you?"

Sirius was quiet for a few minutes, pulling Harry closer to his side. "Harry, I can't promise that they won't. But I will always be here for you, I made a promise to your dad about that and now I've promised myself. I won't leave you."

"But just say what if-" Harry started, cut off by Sirius.

"Have I ever told you the one's that love us never really leave us?"

Harry shook his head and looked up at his father curiously. "You can always find them, in here." He said, placing his hand across Harry's chest where his heart would be. "I will never leave you, puppy."

Harry frowned but nodded. "W-will you stay with me? Now, I mean."

"Of course. Padfoot or me?" Sirius said gently, moving his son back to a lying position on the bed.

Harry flushed red and looked away, but pushed through his humiliation of not wanting to sleep without his father and whispered, "you."

Sirius smiled and ruffled Harry's hair. "No need to be ashamed, Harry."

"I'm not ashamed," Harry said defensively, turning a darker shade of red when he heard Sirius chuckle.

Sirius put an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him to his side. "Just try and sleep."

"You won't leave?" Harry asked quietly, pressing his face against his father's t-shirt.

"Never," Sirius mumbled, adjusting himself into a comfortable position.

"Will you tell me a story? About anything." Harry whispered after a few minutes of silence.

"Sure… you know, you're embarrassed right now about wanting me to stay with you tonight, but you wouldn't believe how often I did this when you were little. You didn't want to sleep for some reason when you were a baby, but there were always two things that knocked you out cold." Sirius said, speaking with a warm tone that told Harry he was smiling.

"What were they?" Harry asked, yawning contentedly.

"Not surprisingly, me." Sirius chuckled. "Still don't know what it was. Don't get me wrong, you adored your dad and loved playing with him - he just couldn't get you to go to sleep as well as I could. And the second thing of course, was your mother's voice. She used to sing to you every night."

"What song did she sing?" Harry asked, taking in the details about his parents.

"I wonder if I still remember it… now, mind you, my voice is not as angelic as Lily's once was, so I'm sorry if this gives you nightmares." Sirius said. Harry smiled, head still resting against his father's chest. " _When I am down, and oh, my soul, so weary. When trouble comes, and my heart burdens me, then I am still, and wait here in the silence, until you come, and sit a while with me."_

Harry felt content. He could feel his father's voice vibrating under his head and that, coupled with his soft singing tone, was lulling him to sleep. The burdens and fears that had been plaguing him only minutes earlier were slowly slipping away with the soothing song, and though Harry would never admit it to anyone in the castle, he didn't want his father to ever stop singing to him.

" _You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas. I am strong, when I am on your shoulders._ " Harry felt his eyes grow heavy and he allowed sleep to claim him as his adopted father continued to sing the song that his mother once lulled him to sleep with, a content smile on his face.


	28. Attacked

"Sirius," Remus said, attempting to shake his friend awake without disturbing Harry, who was still sleeping against his chest. "Wake up, you're not going to like this..."

"Mm, what?" Sirius snapped crossly, forgetting where he was. He opened his eyes and noticed Harry was still asleep against him, then looked into Remus's concerned eyes. "What?" He started again, much more gently.

"Rita Skeeter article… Harry's going to be humiliated." Remus mumbled, handing Sirius the paper. It was an article all about Harry being mentally unstable - so much so, that his father had to sleep with him every night to ensure that he didn't run off or disturb others.

Sirius cringed as he read it, then looked down at the boy in his arms. "We just can't be left alone, huh puppy?" He said gently, before removing himself from the bed to leave Harry to sleep.

Harry immediately stirred when Sirius got out of bed. "Dad?" He mumbled sleepily.

"It's still early pup, go back to sleep. Moony and I will have breakfast ready when you wake up." Sirius said gently, tucking the boy back in before following Remus out of the room.

"Well," Sirius said, joining Remus at the table for a cup of coffee. "It was nice while it lasted."

"What was?" Remus asked, stirring cream and sugar into his coffee.

"Harry acting like himself around me. You know he won't take this article well, he's not going to want a thing to do with me for weeks." Sirius said, taking a big sip of his own black coffee.

"Well, Sirius, you are his father. Tell him not to worry about what other people think, give him the advice you normally do. Although, I would think after the second task, he'd behave better. He normally doesn't let stuff like that get to him." Remus said with a shrug.

"He's a good kid, better than we were. That's Lily coming out in him. If he does act that way again, I can't say I blame him. You remember when Reg turned Lacy against me seventh year? All of you were so angry with me for something I didn't even do and I sulked around exactly like he did a few weeks ago, and I was three years older than he was at that point." Sirius said with a shrug.

"Maybe you should tell him that story, Padfoot. Tell him how hard it was, but you got through it, and you want him to be better than you were." Remus said with a shrug. "Although I doubt you want your son to know how many women you were with in Hogwarts."

Sirius barked a laugh, but Harry walked in before he could respond. "And how many women would that be, Siri?"

Sirius shook his head with a smirk. "I'll get to that, but there's something that you should see first."

Sirius handed Harry the newspaper and Harry groaned. "She just can't leave me alone about you. Malfoy is going to make this horrible."

"Are you embarrassed that Sirius stayed with you last night?" Remus asked gently as Harry moved over to the couch to bury his face in the pillows. Sirius and Remus got up and followed.

Harry laid there for a second before responding. "No... but I didn't exactly want all of Hogwarts to know. That was between Siri and I… how did Skeeter even know he stayed with me last night? These quarters are supposed to be private."

"We don't know, cub." Remus said, sitting in the chair across from the couch. Sirius sat in the other chair and eyed Remus. "I think your dad has a story to tell you though. In the least it will cheer you up… but I hope you'll get the same message Padfoot eventually got from it."

Harry looked up at Sirius expectantly and Sirius cleared his throat. "Well, I don't really know if this will help or not… it makes me look like an old fool, actually, but… here we go. You know about the Marauders, of course. Remus, your dad, me, and well, the rat. We had some girls that we spent most of our time with as well - Lily's other roommates. Now mind, Lily spent time with those girls, but avoided us for our first few years. She had really taken a liking to Snivellus. Anyway, her roommates were Marlene McKinnon, Alice Prewett, well I guess now Alice Longbottom, Paisley McLamb, and Lucy Fox. Lucy hung around with us a lot, as well as Marlene. Lily became friends with us seventh year, but it was mostly Lucy and Marlene for the first six years. Lucy was, for lack of a better phrase, my "Lily." Remus and everyone will tell you I was a ladies' man, but I had a special place for Lucy since second year… I just wasn't quite as confident as your father when it came to love. I ignored it, I wasn't used to being loved and I shied away from it. For that reason, I went after Marlene for years just for the hell of it, and we always ended up breaking up… because of Lucy."

Sirius paused here, and he appeared to have a pained expression crossing his handsome features. "Finally, seventh year, I decided to do something about Lucy. I had been tipped off by a few of my friends," he looked pointedly at Remus, who smiled at him, "that she felt similar about me. So I snogged her one night while we were out flying on my broomstick-"

"You had a broomstick at Hogwarts?" Harry asked. Remus laughed at the random question and Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Of course I did, I played quidditch for Gryffindor. I had to have a broom," he waved it off like it was nothing.

"You played quidditch! Why haven't you told me yet?" Harry gaped at his father.

"I just figured you knew," Sirius said, chuckling. "I mean, we play together every morning. You thought I was that good at throwing a quaffle around for nothing? Anyway, I snogged her, and then the next day I did what I'm best at - rushing into something without giving any thought to the consequences. I saw her talking to my brother Regulus and… well, I've mentioned my childhood to you a bit, but Regulus is part of the reason I left my family home. He was the "good son." But he wasn't happy with himself and he was resentful that I had friends, a girlfriend, and I wasn't being made to do Voldemort's bidding. He used Lucy to get back at me and he practically turned everyone against me."

"What about my dad?" Harry asked, looking upset at how Sirius had been treated.

"Your father was mad at first, but you need to understand why. I would have reacted the same way had I been in his position. The day after I kissed Lucy, Regulus and Marlene, who was upset that I had quit fancying her, worked out a plot to pin Lucy and I against each other. It almost worked, had James not been the one to figure out what we had been told by the two of them. Basically, Marlene told me that Lucy liked both Regulus and me, but she liked Regulus more, and my thick self was so bent up on jealousy that I didn't even bother to ask Lucy if it was true. I started snogging Marlene in the common room that evening - I'm sure you've figured out that Lucy didn't take it well..."

"Nor did we," Remus said with a chuckle.

"I got beat up by my three best friends for breaking Lucy's heart that night. James yelled at me and I tried to explain what Marlene had told me. He ignored it and said I had no right to do that to Lucy. A week went by and I had lost my friends, my girlfriend, and… well, I had lost my family a long time prior to that, but still. The point is, everyone turned against me for a lie, just like they might do with you because of this lying article. I think it best that you take your situation with stride and keep your head up, even if your fellow Gryffindors turn against you for the article. Don't be like me and sulk around about how miserable your life is… if it hadn't been for your father, I don't know what I would have done."

"So he changed his mind then?" Harry asked, wanting to see the best in both James and Sirius.

"He was the one that uncovered the truth about Marlene and Regulus. He remembered what I tried to explain to him the night Marlene and I had gotten back together, and then Lucy told him that Regulus was using legilimency with her and giving her negative ideas about me… because he was jealous that I got away from the dark stuff and he was stuck with our parents and Voldemort. Once he realized that and explained it to everyone, I was apologized to profusely and Marlene became the outcast for betraying her friends. Of course, we eventually forgave her as well, but her and I never got together again. That's besides the point though… the point is, I don't want you to feel alone like I did then… I don't think Ron or Hermione will believe a word of that article or humiliate you for it, but if they do, you've got Remus and me. You're better off in that respect than I was, at least." Sirius said, grimacing at the memory.

"What happened to all of them? Lucy and Marlene and Regulus?" Harry asked, now more interested in Sirius's story than the article written about him.

"Marlene and her entire family were killed by Voldemort. They were all a part of the Order." Remus said gently.

"Regulus was killed by Voldemort I presume, otherwise I wouldn't be the Black heir… and I can't imagine any other way for him to die to be honest." Sirius said with another grimace. "I hated it for him, we were close as kids… he just didn't leave home like I did, didn't have the courage I guess. Lucy, on the other hand, I haven't heard from in thirteen years. We were dating when your parents and you got attacked that night. Of course, I had no plans for marriage, but that was what was so nice about Lucy - she didn't want to get married either, just wanted to have fun and live life like I did. We were a good match I suppose. I think she, like most people, heard that I was the secret keeper and assumed that I betrayed your parents that night. She's probably furious with me," Sirius said with a dry chuckle.

"You haven't tried to contact her at all, Padfoot?" Remus asked, frowning.

"No reason to," Sirius said with a shrug. "I've got all I need here - a good job, my son, my best mate. Why would I need to try and talk to an old flame?"

"All I'm saying is, I'm sure she's heard of your innocence. She'd probably at least like to talk to you about what happened, for closure or something. It'd be a nice gesture." Remus said sternly.

Sirius rolled his eyes and Harry laughed. Sirius grinned at him as if he had forgotten Harry was in the room. "Well, anyway, we got off track. You understand the lesson Moony was trying to teach you by making me tell you what a daft teenager I was?"

Harry nodded and grinned. "Yep, that you're a terrible influence and I should ask Remus for advice from now on."

Remus laughed and Sirius looked taken aback. " _That_ is what you got out of my story? Well, it looks like I might need to use a different method of teaching you a lesson."

Sirius chased Harry around the living room and tackled him to the ground, tickling him while Harry attempted to get the upperhand. Remus rolled his eyes and tried to go back to the kitchen when Sirius tripped him as well, making him join in their wrestling match. Sirius felt fairly confident that Harry wouldn't let this article bother him, and the three spent a peaceful Sunday together as a family.

* * *

Monday came quickly, but to Harry's surprise, most of his peers were kind to him and seemed to have ignored the article by Skeeter. The worst came from the Slytherin students, as Harry had predicted, but even they seemed to be quieter than usual; however, the peace didn't last long.

"Today I just want you lot to work on shield charms - this may seem basic, but it will help you tremendously when you're attacked if you can produce a strong shield." Remus said to the class of fourth years. "Partner up, and when I say go, one of you will send a harmless hex and the other will try to defend his or herself. Ready?"

The fourth years scrambled across the classroom to start. "Go!" Remus shouted. There were flashes of light and big, blue shields being produced from every direction. Then, Harry was on the ground.

"PROFESSOR LUPIN!" Hermione exclaimed as Remus ran over.

"The lesson's over for today. Be warned, if I find that any of you used dark magic as your _harmless hex,_ you will be severely punished. Go on." Remus said, looking pointedly at Malfoy before bending down to check on Harry. "Cub? What happened?"

"I'm okay, Moony," Harry said,grimacing as he tried to sit up. "I don't know, I made my shield and then I felt a burning pain in my side. Maybe the spell backfired?"

"Lift your shirt up, Harry, let me check and make sure you're okay." Remus said gently, holding Harry down so he couldn't pretend to be fine. At Harry's hesitation, Remus smiled. "Come on, Cub, we're the only two in here besides Ron and Hermione, I need to be sure you're alright. Would you rather me get Sirius? Remember mother hen?"

The mention of his father put Harry in action and he almost ripped his shirt off in his haste to show Remus the injury. Sure he loved Sirius, but he didn't need to be doted on for a backfired spell. However, the spell proved to be more dangerous than Harry had thought. The flesh on his stomach where he had been hit was oozing blood and puss, and slowly growing bigger. Remus gasped. "This is a dark curse, Harry… much worse than a stinging hex, it looks like it's melting your skin off. I had been joking about getting Sirius before, but he needs to know that you've been attacked again and _you_ have to go to the hospital wing now. Your flesh will melt off entirely if we don't hurry. Hold still and I'll try the counter-curse until you can get to Madame Pomfrey."

Harry groaned at the mention of the hospital wing, but allowed Remus to perform the counter-curse. The pain in his side felt like a huge sore that was swallowing him whole and setting him on fire - he wanted relief.

"Good, I'll go get Padfoot, and Hermione and Ron will take you to Pomfrey." Remus said, jumping up to go to the charm's classroom.

"Don't interrupt his class, I'll see him tonight," Harry said, trying to hold-off Sirius's anger for the time being.

Remus chuckled but didn't stop moving towards the door. "Sorry kiddo, I'm not going to be the one Padfoot yells at for not telling him that his kid's skin is melting off. Him and I will meet you in the hospital wing. Now, go."

The three went off to the hospital wing, and Harry wasn't surprised to see that Sirius and Remus had beaten them there. He was moving slow because the wound was opening up again and festering. Sirius looked livid, but his face softened when Harry walked in and he rushed forward to the three of them. "Here guys, I got him." Taking care to avoid Harry's injury, Sirius carried him over to a hospital bed and placed him in it. Harry's face flushed at having to be carried by his father, but Ron and Hermione didn't seem to care.

Sirius lifted Harry's shirt off and began looking at the wound, which was starting to burn badly. As if on cue, Madam Pomfrey shooed Ron and Hermione out of the room and began to diagnose and heal the injury. Sirius and Remus both sat in the chairs beside the bed and Sirius held Harry's hand as Madam Pomfrey applied a cooling and healing salve.

Harry's embarrassment had completely passed by the time she finished applying the salve - whatever curse the student had used on him was effective. Harry felt like his entire body was on fire, and anytime someone touched the sore spot, a sharp sting echoed through his torso. It was one of the worst physical pains he had ever felt.

"There Mr. Potter, that will stop the curse from inflaming your body. It will take the night for the wound to quit festering and close up, but once it does you should be okay. I'm sorry I can't do more, but I'm not familiar with the dark magic that was used to create the wound. I suggest you stay here for tonight and perhaps tomorrow while the professors try and figure out who is malicious enough to do this." Madam Pomfrey said as she put the cap on the salve she was using. "I presume you're going to stay with him, Mr. Black."

Sirius nodded silently, still looking extremely angry.

"Good, then you can apply this salve every four hours until the wound closes. Mr. Lupin, does the headmaster know about this? I'd hate to have someone else fall victim to this nasty injury." Madam Pomfrey asked, turning to Remus.

"Yes, he is well aware, as are the other professors. I will be questioning my entire class tomorrow on it. Whoever tried this will be in severe trouble." Remus said, glancing at Harry.

"Which houses were in the class? Obviously Gryffindor, but what was the other one?" Sirius growled.

"Three guesses which." Remus said, sharing a look with Sirius.

"Should have known," Sirius said, voice still scarily quiet. "Guess you better talk to Snivellus… or better yet, I'll talk to him."

"No, Sirius. You stay with your son, Snape didn't have anything to do with the attack. It's just one of his students we need to watch out for. I'll go now, but I'll be back with some dinner for you both. Okay cub?" Remus said, putting a hand on Sirius's shoulder and turning to Harry. At Harry's nod, he walked out to look for Dumbledore, leaving father and son alone.

Harry spared a look at Sirius, expecting to see the same anger that had graced his features since they had arrived; instead, Sirius looked concerned about him. He reached over and brushed Harry's bangs off his still-sweaty forehead. "You okay, puppy?" He asked gently.

Harry's throat was dry from the extreme heat that plagued his body, and he nodded to the water on the bedside table. Sirius lifted him so he could drink the water.

Once he had his fill, Harry nodded in response to question. "I think so… that was a nasty curse."

Sirius's eyes flashed with anger again. "No kidding… you've got a very impressive pain tolerance. Any idea who attacked you this time?"

"No… I mean, I think you guys are probably on the right track with Slytherin, and my bet would be Malfoy… but they hardly said anything at all to me this morning about the article. You would think they would have at least tried to make me angry before attacking me." Harry mumbled looking down at his lap. It was at that moment that he realized he was practically naked, other than his trousers, and lifted the covers up to his chin, only to hiss with pain when the sheet rubbed against his injury.

Sirius gave him an amused smile and pushed the sheet back down. "You realize I used to change your nappies, right?"

Harry flushed red again, but looked back at Sirius. "Anyway," Sirius started again. "I guess they didn't tempt you because it would make it too obvious if they attacked you right after. I don't know, but I'm getting tired of these random injuries. I'll pull you out of this damn tournament and take you home if I have to."

Harry scowled, "I'll look like a coward!"

"Better than you getting killed, Harry. I won't risk it, I'm sorry. But don't worry just yet, if we can catch the culprit it will be okay. I think Dumbledore's getting worried about the death eater activity, especially since Barty Crouch was killed before the second task. He wants to cancel the tournament in general, and I will support him if he chooses to do so." Sirius said, eyes flashing with anger again. "Our daft minister has been refusing to, though, so I guess we will wait and see what they decide before I make a decision of my own."

"What about the magical contract? Hermione says people can die if they break contract…" Harry said, heart racing at the idea of the Goblet of Fire.

"Dumbledore wouldn't let that happen, but that's the only reason I haven't taken you home yet. Bad things do happen to wizards who break contract," Sirius mumbled, scowling.

Seeing Harry's concerned expression, Sirius softened his features. "Don't worry about it yet, pup. We'll figure it out, I just want you to be safe. The fact that you can't even attend class without worrying about having your skin blown off blows my mind." He reached over and stroked Harry's hair back again, then slid his hand down to Harry's side, right above the injury. "Does it hurt to touch right here?"

Harry winced a little, but shook his head. "No, not too bad. Just burns a little."

Sirius immediately moved his hand back to Harry's forehead. "You've still got a fever."

Harry smiled weakly, instinctively leaning into his father's cool touch. "Quit being a mother hen, I told Remus this would happen."

Sirius grinned at Harry and stroked his fingers through his hair gently. "You can pretend that you hate it all you want, puppy, but I know deep down you appreciate your old man."

Harry smiled again before letting his eyes close. He felt his father press his lips to his forehead, and he wanted to swat him away playfully like he normally did; however, Harry found that, deep down, Sirius was right - he loved the affection from his dad. The comforting thought of Sirius staying by his bedside carried Harry to sleep that afternoon, concerns of the tournament leaving him entirely.


	29. Preparation

A/N: Because I feel like people will try to correct me on this, I often use godson/son and godfather/father interchangeably throughout the story, specifically when James is mentioned by Harry or Sirius. I'm doing this on purpose just because I don't want Harry to forget who his real father is either. This is a shorter, fluffy chapter, but we've finally reached the Third Task. Don't forget to review!

"Does it hurt to touch right here?" Sirius said, beginning his hourly check up again that evening by touching Harry's side right above the injury. It was definitely beginning to close up and Harry looked to be a little more comfortable.

"No dad, I told you that an hour ago." Harry mumbled grumpily, tired of being stuck in the hospital wing while his friends were at dinner in the Great Hall.

Sirius chuckled and slid his hand across the front of Harry's middle to his uninjured side. "What about here?" he asked, grinning as he tickled Harry's rib cage.

Harry laughed and shied away from his father's hand before grabbing it and placing it back on his forehead. Sirius gave him a questioning look and Harry shrugged. "Your hand's cold and I've still got a fever, it feels good."

"I'll get you an ice pack," Sirius said, starting to get out of his chair.

"No, just leave it." Harry said, grabbing his father's hand again and putting it back against his forehead. "Besides, it's one less hand for you to try and annoy me with."

Sirius chuckled and started stroking Harry's hair again, while they waited for Remus to bring dinner and news on the attack. Harry had slept most of the afternoon and was now awake and aware of how much he hated being in the hospital wing, despite having a very serious injury.

A few minutes later, Remus walked in with leftovers from the kitchens. "Here, Harry. Got you some of your favorites, lamb meat, potatoes, and treacle tart. Tuck in."

Harry immediately started scarfing down his meal and Remus pulled Sirius over to a corner. "Have you guys found the person behind this? They practically melted my son's stomach off!" Sirius said angrily, finally able to let out some of his pent up frustrations since Harry was distracted.

"Yep, it was Malfoy, though he acted very odd. He said he couldn't remember doing it, but his wand showed that he casted it. It's advanced magic for a fourth year, it just doesn't add up. They're searching his dorm now for evidence that he did the last attack as well, and if they find Harry's wand then he's as good as suspended and awaiting trial." Remus said, a smile spreading across his face.

"Good, I knew it was that little git the whole time. Merlin, I wish they'd just leave my boy alone." Sirius said, turning to walk back to Harry.

"Wait, Padfoot, don't tell Harry yet. I don't want to get his hopes up or spread something around, you know how Lucius Malfoy can be. He's not going to take his son getting in trouble lightly."

Sirius growled in response but nodded, accepting that, in the least, Malfoy would get some form of discipline. Both walked back over to Harry's bed and sat down in the chairs again, spending the rest of the evening talking about the Marauder's days with Harry in an attempt to cheer him up.

* * *

Harry was released from the hospital the next evening and greeted with an unpleasant sight: a new Rita Skeeter article talking about Harry going crazy one morning in his father's room, then needing to go to the hospital wing to be given a calming draught. The pictures that went along with the article showed Sirius tackling Harry to the ground in their living room, in what had actually been a playful wrestling match, and then Sirius sitting by Harry's bedside in the hospital wing. These innocent and fun moments between the two had been morphed into something negative, and Harry hated it.

"How is she getting these pictures? I just don't understand! We would notice if she was in here." Harry exclaimed, burying his face in the couch the way he had done a few days ago.

"I don't know, puppy," Sirius mumbled, lifting Harry up long enough for him to sit on the couch and then putting Harry's head in his lap. Harry immediately sat up and scooted away, but Sirius grabbed him and pulled him back under his arm.

"Stop, Siri," Harry grumbled, attempting to move to another chair, but Sirius was too quick and had the boy sitting in his lap with a smug grin on his face. Harry tried to squirm away and, once that proved impossible, turned to glare at his father. "What are you doing? Do you want tomorrow's Daily Prophet caption to be 'Ex-Convict Seduces his Underage Godson?'"

Sirius barked a laugh and hugged Harry before letting him off his lap. "No, I'd rather that not be the caption, but she's going to write about us anyway. I don't see the point in ignoring my child because of her."

Harry contemplated his words for a second before nodding and laying his head back down in his father's lap. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Sirius grabbed at Harry's shirt and started lifting it.

"Dad, stop, my stomach's fine. You checked it ten times before we left the hospital wing, the injury is completely gone." Harry protested, pulling his shirt back down defiantly. "You're being too lovey."

"Now, you're never too old to be shown some love kiddo… but if you're that worked up about it..." Sirius started, lifting Harry's head off his legs and beginning to stand up to leave the room.

"No!" Harry said, grabbing his dad's arm. Sirius raised an eyebrow at him, the same smug smile playing against his lips. Harry mentally berated himself for sounding like a pathetic child, but Sirius's tenderness when placing his head back in his lap reassured him that his father didn't think any less of him for this weakness.

After another moment of silence, Sirius looked down at his boy warmly. "What?" Harry asked, noticing the sincere love radiating off his dad; he couldn't stop himself, he smiled too.

"Sickle for your thoughts?" Sirius asked, stroking Harry's hair away from his forehead. Harry smiled to himself before shaking his head and looking away. "What do you mean no? I'm offering you a sickle and all you have to do is tell me what you're thinking about."

"I'm thinking about something secret, dad. Can't tell you." Harry said, laughing to himself.

"And why in Merlin's name not? After all I've done for you, all the nappies I changed with your father, all the late nights trying to get you to sleep - this is how you repay your dear old godfather?" Sirius exclaimed dramatically, grinning at his boy.

"I'm just thinking about… well… about how lucky I am… to have you." Harry said sheepishly, looking away. "I don't say it to you enough. The Dursley's punished me for weeks for simply wetting myself when I was a toddler, and you've stuck around through two separate attacks and this entire tournament and I'm not able to do anything to repay you for all the time you've spent with me… so I guess what I'm trying to say is… I love you, dad."

"You don't have to repay me puppy, and the time I've spent with you has been some of the best of my life. I love you very much, son." Sirius said, stroking Harry's fringe off his forehead and savoring the sweet moment.

* * *

March turned to April and April to May, and the third task was looming over the champions. The students continued with their lessons and Rita Skeeter spent her time berating Harry and the other champions. Hermione and Ron had been arguing more often over Victor Krum as the end of the year approached, so Harry found himself spending a significant amount of time training for the third task with Remus and his father.

Though these were supposed to be serious mock-duels to prepare Harry, the time was often filled with playful banter between the three.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" Sirius said, barking a laugh as he dodged a stunning spell Harry sent his way. Harry, fed up with losing these duels to his father, sent a tickling hex at him and refused to let up on it until Sirius admitted he was by far, the superior duelist.

Despite their attempts to keep a light atmosphere, Sirius and Remus knew they only had a matter of time before their fears would either be proven or diminished; with this, they passed on as much of their knowledge of defense to Harry as possible in preparation of the worst.

Time continued to pass on and, much to Harry's dismay, Malfoy was not found with possession of Harry's wand and was able to worm his way out of the consequences of attacking a fellow student. This left Harry with an old wand of Dumbledore's for the tournament and a potential attacker on the loose.

The night before the tournament came quickly, and Harry was dueling Sirius again in a mock trial.

"Come on, kiddo, an attacker won't be forgiving," Sirius said, walking over to _finite_ Harry after using _petrificus totalus._

Harry groaned as he picked himself up off the ground. "I know, I'm just tired. I need to sleep, I think. Besides, we don't even know if I'll be attacked tomorrow… other than whatever the maze sends me."

Sirius sighed and nodded. "I know, pup, let's go back. I just wanted to be sure you're ready, I can't lose my boy."

Harry smiled at Sirius and they left the defense classroom to return to Sirius's quarters - now also Harry's quarters. Sirius wanted Harry to stay with him as much as possible since the attacks had gotten worse, and refused to let his son out of his sight unless he was with Ron and Hermione.

Once they returned to the room, Harry said goodnight to his father, then went to his bedroom to get ready for bed and the challenge tomorrow.

* * *

The next morning, Sirius brought Harry pancakes for breakfast and spent time talking to him and hugging him close, secretly very worried that this would be the last time he saw his son, though he only expressed this concern with Remus.

The time for the task came faster than either of them would have liked, and Sirius walked his son out to the middle of the quidditch pitch where the maze had been growing over the past two months. Cedric Diggory was there with his father, as well as Fleur and Krum with their headmasters. Harry wasn't listening to Ludo Bagman as he announced the contestants; he only thought about the fact that he would be the first one in the maze and he might actually finish this tournament alive. This was the last task, and soon after he would be returning back to the Marauder's Mansion with Sirius and Remus. This thought brought a smile to his face, and he was only taken out of his trance when he felt Sirius pull him close.

"This is it, puppy, you'll be great. I'm so proud of you." Sirius whispered to him, kissing the top of his head before holding him at arm's length and smiling.

Harry smiled back and heard the cannon explode, signaling his entrance to the maze. He stepped in, and with one last glance toward Sirius, the maze closed and he was alone.


	30. The Third Task

The maze presented Harry with two different paths, one to the right and the other to the left. "Here goes nothing…" Harry mumbled, stepping towards the path to the left. He soon reached another fork, and chose the right, then another and chose the left. He continued on like this, occasionally checking his wand for northward direction.

As he wandered through the maze, he couldn't help but wonder where the challenges were. Surely he shouldn't be going through this easily without facing any danger? He at least thought he should have met a champion by this point.

Harry was getting so unnerved by the lack of challenges in the maze, he almost breathed a sigh of relief when he came upon a dementor. "Expecto patronum," he said easily, smiling as he thought of his father playing quidditch with him.

Once the dementor had gone, Harry moved forward, only to be stopped by a blood curdling scream. He turned to stare at the icy eyes of Victor Krum, standing over Fleur threateningly. Recognizing immediately that he was under the imperius, Harry stunned him and helped Fleur up.

"Are you alright?" He asked, shooting red sparks into the air so someone would come and retrieve Victor.

"Wi wi," Fleur mumbled, hugging Harry and thanking him profusely for saving her again. "I owe you my life, I will follow you and help."

"You don't have to, Fleur." Harry insisted, despite the comforting feeling that another person would bring during this challenge. "It's only right that I finish myself, besides, you can still win now."

"No, I will help you," she insisted with a smile, pulling Harry in the direction he was originally going.

After walking for another twenty minutes and not meeting any challenges, Harry was growing concerned again. "It shouldn't be this easy, did you meet anything before you ran into Victor?"

"Wi," Fleur said again. "I met odd creatures zat breathed fire-"

"Blast-ended skrewts," Harry mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Fleur asked.

"Nothing," Harry said with a grimace. "Anything else?"

"A boggart, and ze maze tried to grab me a few times." Fleur said with a frown. "I don't like zis, it iz too quiet."

As if on cue, Cedric popped out beside them. "Oh, hey. What are you two doing?"

Before Harry could offer an explanation, Fleur answered. "Harry zaved my life, he deserves to win. I am walking with him until it's over."

Cedric nodded, then held his hand out to Harry. "Well, may the best Hogwarts man win." Harry grinned and shook his head before they parted ways again.

Fleur and Harry walked for another hour before they met a mighty sphinx. With the body of a lion and the head of a beautiful egyptian woman, it was a sight to behold. "This is it," Harry whispered, staring up at the beast.

"Hello," the sphinx said, looking at Harry as if he was a potential meal. "Answer my riddle correctly, you may pass. Answer incorrectly, I will attack you. If you decline my offer, you can search for another way to the cup."

Harry nodded, "May I hear the riddle?"

The sphinx smiled, then began. " _First think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle and end of the end? And finally give me the sound often heard, During the search for a hard-to-find word. Now string them together and answer me this, Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"_

"I'm rubbish at riddles…" Harry mumbled, looking to Fleur who seemed equally confused.

"I guess just take zem apart and answer zem one at a time." Fleur said, patting Harry's shoulder comfortingly.

"Okay… well, er-" the sphinx smiled and Harry reconsidered the riddle. "Wait, that's the answer to the hard-to-find word part!" Harry exclaimed. "But not my final answer," he added quickly, beginning to think of the first part again.

"First think of ze person who lives in disguise," Fleur said quietly, wanting to help Harry.

"Who lives in secrets and tells naught but lies," Harry finished for her. "Like, a spy?" The sphinx smiled at him again. "Spy-er… spy-er… spider! The creature's a spider." Harry said confidently, smiling as the phoenix stepped aside.

* * *

Sirius paced worriedly beside his station in the maze, searching intently for any sign of distress from his son. He could faintly see Remus's outline from his station in front of him, and McGonagall's behind him.

It had now been two hours since his son had entered the maze, and the only comfort he had received since was extracting Krum from the maze and seeing Harry's backside as he walked away.

Knowing that Harry was still alive gave Sirius hope, but just barely. He couldn't wait until the end so he could take his boy home and never have to think about this blasted tournament again.

* * *

Fleur and Harry stepped past the sphinx, only to come face to face with a giant acromantula, similar to Hagrid's in the Forbidden Forest. Harry wouldn't put it past Hagrid to bring Aragog into the maze for good measure. Before Harry could ask it's name, the acromantula moved forward towards them both. "Watch out!" Harry yelled, pulling Fleur out of the way, only to be struck with a pincher himself in the leg.

He braced himself and stood regardless, knowing that as soon as the beast was destroyed he would be able to go to the hospital wing and get healed.

"Petrificus totalus!" He yelled, the spider barely moving out of the way to dodge the spell. Harry and Fleur ducked as it reached a hairy leg out towards them. They backed away as far as they could, but were soon surprised to see the spider move away from them.

"What-" Harry began, cut off by a strangled cry. "CEDRIC! Petrificus totalus!" He yelled again, freezing the spider completely. "Cedric, are you okay?" Harry asked, limping over to where Cedric had fallen to the ground in front of the acromantula.

"Yeah, thanks Harry. I wasn't expecting-" Cedric said, cutting himself off when he noticed the gleaming blue Triwizard Cup. Harry looked at it longingly too, so ready for the entire tournament to end.

"Well, go ahead." Cedric said softly after a moment.

Harry looked back at him. "What?"

"You saved both of us and got here first, you should take it." Cedric said, shrugging and backing up to where Fleur stood.

Harry shook his head. "No, I had help… for all of these tasks. I don't deserve it any more than you two do."

"Just zake it, Harry." Fleur said with a smile.

Harry turned to Cedric with pleading eyes. "At least take it with me, Cedric. It will be a Hogwarts victory either way."

Cedric looked longingly at the cup for a moment before finally nodding. "Okay, let's do it. One."

"Two," Harry said approaching the cup beside Cedric.

"THREE!" They both yelled, grabbing it and feeling a jerk behind their navels as they were taken away from the maze, leaving Fleur behind to shoot up red sparks.

* * *

"Fleur," Remus started as him and the other professors reached the middle of the maze. "Where's the cup? It should be here. And you look fine, why did you call for help?"

"Harry and Cedric won, of course. Zey grabbed ze cup and port-keyed out of here." Fleur said, walking over to the group.

Remus felt his blood run cold as he turned to Sirius and McGonagall. "Was the cup _supposed_ to be a portkey?"

McGonagall turned a deathly pale color as she shook her head, and Sirius let out a strangled cry. "He was so close…" He mumbled, falling to his knees as McGonagall went to Fleur and Remus turned to help his friend.

* * *

"Oof!" Harry exclaimed as the two plopped down on the ground in an unfamiliar place. "Where are we?" He mumbled once he regained his composure.

"No idea," Cedric said, helping Harry to his feet. "Did you know the cup was a portkey? Do you think it's a part of the challenge?"

Harry shook his head as he approached a tombstone, recognizing that they were in a graveyard. The area was dark and the grass surrounding the blocks of stone were dead - it was nothing like the small, charming graveyard in Godric's Hollow. There, it was like a memorial or a history book of those who lived rich and happy lives, finally coming to rest. This graveyard only reminded Harry of one thing - death. It was unnerving.

Once he reached the large tombstone, he searched for it's owners; his blood ran cold as he read the name on it. _Tom Riddle._

"Cedric, we've got to get out of here." Harry said, turning immediately to his peer. "Grab the portkey-"

" _Kill the spare."_ A familiar voice hissed.

"NO!" Harry screamed as he felt himself being pulled back, tied up, and gagged, and watched Cedric's limp body fall to the ground with a sickening flash of green light.

"Now, Wormtail," A voice hissed as Peter Pettigrew approached Harry. "It's time."

Pettigrew carried a large knife in his hand, with a small black bundle under his arm. His wand was in his other hand, and he had the same evil, crooked smile that he had given Harry a year prior when he first transformed from his animagus form.

Harry glared at the small, mousy man with hatred. This man had taken so much from him - his parents, his godfather. He was the reason Sirius was in hell on Earth for twelve years, the reason Remus spent the rest of his adolescence alone, the reason Harry had grown up with the Dursley's. If he wasn't gagged, he would have spat on him.

He stared as Pettigrew summoned a large, black cauldron. "Bone of the father, unwillingly taken." He whispered, summoning the late Tom Riddle's bone from his grave and placing it in the cauldron. He let the potion sit for a moment, as if mentally preparing himself for the next part.

With a sigh of defeat, Pettigrew lifted a large knife to his own arm. "Flesh of the servant, willingly given." With a sickening sound, Harry watched in horror as Pettigrew's forearm fell limply into the potion. Pettigrew fell to the ground in agony, only to force himself to stand at the harsh demand of his master.

Harry's eyes widened as he approached with the knife, terrified of what this horrible man would do to him.

* * *

"Madame," Dumbledore insisted, his voice urgent. "What happened, please tell us. It is of utmost importance."

"Well, Victor was under ze imperius curse and tried to attack me. Harry came and he saved me by stunning Victor, so I said I would walk with him and help him because I owed my life and my sister's life to him. We didn't meet any challenges until ze Sphinx. Harry solved the riddle and he fought the acromantula. Ze acromantula bit him, but he seemed okay. Zen Cedric came and was attacked by the acromantula and Harry saved him too. Zen zey decided to take ze cup together. It was a portkey, I don't know where zey went." Fleur said, shaking her head.

Sirius was standing nearby, listening to all the details and pacing a hole in the floor. They didn't know where Harry was, and every minute they stood talking was another that his boy could be fighting for his life. "We need to act now, Albus, Harry could be hurt or… or…" Sirius shook his head, not willing to acknowledge how bad things could potentially get.

"I agree with you, Sirius, but we cannot do anything if we don't know where Cedric and Harry are. We will know immediately whenever Harry casts a spell - you see, he's using the wand that chose me when I was eleven, before I got my current one. As you know, wand magic can be very powerful, so the wand should alert me, it's true master, if it is used in defense by Harry. I set it up that way after Harry was attacked, thanks to Ollivander. I'm sad to say that I think you and I both anticipated something like this happening, and we've taken all the precautions we could, besides pulling Harry out of Hogwarts entirely and risking his magical essence." Dumbledore said, placing a calming hand on Sirius's shoulder.

Sirius gave him a nod, but continued pacing.

"I'm sure the boys are fine and it was just a small accident." Fudge said, turning to face Dumbledore and Sirius. "This championship is meant to be dangerous, perhaps the ministry workers that set-up the cup thought to add an extra challenge?"

Sirius glared at him and Dumbledore shook his head. "Fudge, I implore you to see reason. This attack has been prepared for a long time and we have tried our best to heed the warning signs, but we couldn't keep Harry from competing. You think that Barty Crouch's death was an accident or that Harry was attacked twice for simply existing? No, there's a reason, and I'm willing to believe that death eaters and Lord Voldemort are behind it."

"Oh come now, Dumbledore, don't be ridiculous. The Potter boy got rid of you-know-who over a decade ago! Both boys will be back soon." Fudge said, turning a red color at the mention of Voldemort.

"Then why was Harry's wand taken? I believe that Voldemort had an insider at Hogwarts." With this Dumbledore turned a watchful eye to Mad-Eye Moody, who was conveniently leaving the judges tent. Sirius followed the headmaster's gaze and gritted his teeth - could his suspicions have been true? Before he could act on his anger, Dumbledore spoke again. "I think that this insider got to know Harry personally, and realised that his wand shared a core with Voldemort's - in other words, Voldemort discovered somehow that he could not properly duel Harry if they shared a wand. So this person was ordered to attack Harry and take the wand from him to make Harry more vulnerable. As I said, I anticipated this - now, all we can do is wait for Harry to use the wand and pray we aren't too late."

"ENOUGH," Fudge yelled. "I'm not going to go rushing into something that a crazed fourteen year old boy is making up-"

"Don't you say a _word_ against my son," Sirius started, advancing dangerously close to the minister. Dumbledore grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back, knowing that if Sirius attacked, things would only be worse for Harry if he returned.

"Now, Minister, you don't have to do anything. Sirius and I are both more than willing to go on our own. But when we return with the proper evidence, you and I will need to talk about our options for the future-" Dumbledore was cut off by Fawkes flying into the tent, signaling the use of his old wand. "Now, Sirius, grab onto Fawkes!"

* * *

Harry gritted his teeth as the large knife pierced his skin - he wouldn't give Pettigrew the satisfaction of hearing him scream. It felt like a sharp drill was being thrust into his arm as the beady-eyed man twisted the knife, collecting enough blood to go into the potion. His scar was on fire, and with a sickening realization, Harry discovered what was in the black bundle that Pettigrew carried - Voldemort.

He watched in horror as Pettigrew dropped his blood into the cauldron, feeling as if he would be sick. Pettigrew dropped the ugly bundle into the cauldron and Harry quietly begged for the thing to drown.

To his dismay, a tall, pale man stepped out, completely naked and scrawny. Pettigrew handed him robes and the man put them on, then turned back to his servant.

"Ah, Wormtail. Your arm, please." Voldemort hissed.

"Master, thank you-"

"Your other arm, Wormtail." Voldemort said, a cruel smile playing on his chapped lips.

Pettigrew had tears in his eyes as he lifted his good arm to reveal the dark mark. Voldemort pressed his wand to the mark, causing Pettigrew to shout out. Soon, about a dozen other wizards in black robes joined them in the graveyard. Pettigrew was still whimpering in a corner and cradling his injured arm.

The wizards formed a circle around Voldemort and he let out a sickening laugh that chilled Harry to the core. "Welcome, my followers. Though I can't say that you have been faithful… Malfoy!" He shouted, pulling Lucius Malfoy to his knees.

"My Lord, if I had any sign that you were rising again-" Malfoy started.

"Oh there were signs - plenty of them. You and all the others ignored them." Voldemort hissed, knocking down other death eaters in his rampage.

"I-I returned," Pettigrew whimpered from his place on the ground.

"Out of fear, Wormtail. And once we retrieved you from prison, at that. But I will admit you have been useful. For that, I will repay you." Voldemort waved his wand and a magically silver hand appeared over Pettigrew's arm.

"T-thank you, M-master." Pettigrew whimpered, bending down to kiss the man's robes.

Harry couldn't help it - he gasped at the sickening display of affection from one of his father's old friends.

"Ah, Harry," Voldemort said with a cruel smile, turning to face him. "I almost forgot you were here. Time for the show, I suppose. Now I've heard you're using an old wand of Dumbledore's since yours was… taken. That's okay, perhaps you will still be an opponent worthy of dueling the Dark Lord."

With a flick of his wand, Voldemort removed the ropes tying Harry. "Get up, it's time to duel!"

Harry shot to his feet and backed away, knowing he was no match for the darkest wizard of their time, but willing to fight nonetheless.

"Now, I presume you know the rules of dueling? First, we bow." Voldemort bent over, but kept his piercing red eyes on Harry. "Come now, Harry, Dumbledore wouldn't want you to forget the niceties. Now, _bow._ " With this, Voldemort forced Harry down to his knees and had him bend to the ground. "Good, now _crucio!"_ He shouted.

Harry writhed in agony, his every nerve on fire. This was by far the worst pain he had ever felt, but he kept his teeth clenched, refusing to scream and give Voldemort the satisfaction. No, he wasn't going to go without a fight.

The pain stopped suddenly and Harry attempted a weak disarming spell, only to be thrown backwards twenty feet. He jumped up as quickly as his weak and injured body would let him and staggered behind a rock.

"Come back here, Harry, I want to see your face when I kill you!" Voldemort shouted as his followers laughed.

Harry rested his head against the rock, and breathed heavy. He thought of his father and how much he wanted him right now. "Please help me, dad. I need you," he whispered, tears falling down his face as he thought of inevitable - he would never see Sirius again.


	31. And Oh My Soul So Weary

Harry waited a few more moments, trying to gain his composure. He knew there were only two options, continue to hide like a coward and be found and killed, or face Voldemort and fight to the death. He was sure it would lead to his death, but at least he would die the way his parents did - bravely.

"Fine," Harry said, standing up and facing Voldemort. "Have it your way."

He attempted a quick disarming curse before dodging a killing curse. The two continued on like this, Harry feebly attempting to defend himself and Voldemort shooting unforgivables.

"Don't touch him, he's mine to finish!" Voldemort shouted after the third killing curse narrowly missed Harry and hit a death eater in the chest. A blinding flash of golden light stopped the duel for a few seconds and Harry felt his heart stop. Standing in between Harry and Voldemort was none other than Professor Dumbledore and Sirius.

Harry made to run to them, but felt himself go stiff as dark ropes tied around him again. Sirius looked fiercely at the person who assaulted his boy, and he felt his rage bubble up at the man he was face to face with. "Peter…" Sirius mumbled, stepping forward to finally avenge his fallen brother. Dumbledore rounded up all the other death eaters, stunning and tying them up easily, leaving him dueling with Voldemort.

Sirius felt rage boiling up inside of him at his one time friend - sweet, quiet Peter. What happened? Why did he betray Lily and James? The unanswered question brought his anger to an unfathomable level, and the only thing that kept Sirius from ripping the rat to shreds was his godson's howls of agony near him.

Harry was screaming, begging his father to leave the graveyard. He wanted, no needed, Sirius to get out of here and take him with him. Voldemort would torture and kill them all, and Harry couldn't bare to watch his father die. Cedric, a boy he had hardly known well, was bad enough to endure; Harry couldn't imagine the agony he would be in if he saw Sirius fall limp, unmoving…

Sirius made a quick decision - noting Dumbledore's fight with Voldemort, Sirius stunned Pettigrew and ran to his boy. He undid the magical bindings and picked Harry up, cradling his brave son in his arms. "Harry? Baby, tell me where you're hurt, I want to help you." He whispered gently as Harry continued to call out, practically in hysterics.

"Not… hurt bad-" Harry rasped out between his wails, clinging to his father's robes and burying his face against his chest. Taking in the familiar scent of Sirius's aftershave, Harry slowly began to calm down. "We gotta… get out of here…"

Sirius nodded, his face pressed against Harry's black mop of hair. "We can't leave without Dumbledore, but you're safe now baby. Daddy's got you, it's going to be okay."

Harry continued to sob while clawing at his father's shirt for dear life, as if trying to prove to himself that he really was alive and in Sirius's arms - that this wasn't some cruel joke of Voldemort's. Sirius's reassurances, however, were like a slap in the face; sure, Harry was safe with his father now, but what about Cedric? Mr. Diggory probably doesn't even know that he will never get to hold his child again.

"Cedric dead…" Harry rasped out against Sirius's chest in between his heart-wrenching sobs. "All my fault…"

"No… no, Harry, it wasn't your fault." Sirius whispered soothingly, tucking Harry's face into the crook of his neck and holding him closer. "You didn't know this would happen, you were just trying to be fair. You're a good person, Voldemort's not. That's why he's dead, baby. None of this will ever be your fault."

A bolt of joy shot through Harry as he registered Sirius's terms of endearment - _you're safe now baby, daddy's got you._ Harry meant so much to Sirius that he was calling him the most vulnerable and bare of endearments. Harry relished in this, knowing that he should be embarrassed by Sirius's proclamation of love for his son, but also feeling immensely grateful that he finally had someone who loved him, someone who was worried sick when he found out he was missing, someone who risked everything to save him. This happy thought even masked his guilty feelings over Cedric's death, though did not get rid of them by any means.

Harry pressed closer to his father, no longer fighting the desperate sobs that claimed his body or his deep desire for affection. He needed Sirius now more than anything; he felt broken beyond repair as the night's memories flashed again before his eyes.

Sirius's heart wrenched in his chest with every sob Harry let out, and he wrapped his arms tighter around his child. He was so relieved that they had gotten there on time, that his precious boy was safe and that they would go home soon. He continued to whisper gentle reassurances to Harry, wanting desperately to calm his son, but knowing that he only saw the tip of the occurrences his poor boy had been through.

So involved was Sirius in trying to ease Harry's agony, that he didn't notice when Dumbledore walked over to them. "Voldemort's fled, Sirius. Let's go back to the castle so I can alert the aurors of the death eaters here and… well, I need to talk to Harry."

Sirius's breath hitched as he looked down at his son's tear-stained face. "Dumbledore, he's in no state to talk-"

"Now's not the place, Sirius. We'll talk at Hogwarts, let's grab the portkey." Dumbledore said, gesturing towards the accursed cup.

"NO!" Harry shouted out, his voice raspy. Sirius almost dropped him out of shock from his son's outburst.

"What is it, puppy?" Sirius asked, pulling Harry closer.

"We can't leave… without Cedric," Harry whimpered, attempting to lean out of his father's embrace and go towards his fallen peer.

Sirius tightened his arms around Harry and kissed his head. "Of course we can't. I'll grab his arm, you just stay right here where you belong and don't worry about anything right now, okay? It will all be over soon."

Though Harry's heart felt heavy and he dreaded facing the hundreds of students at Hogwarts, he smiled a little at Sirius's words and snuggled into his father's embrace. _Right where I belong,_ he thought happily, before he reminded himself of Cedric and choked on another sob.

"Sirius, perhaps I should be the one to deliver Mr. Diggory. I'm afraid it will look very suspicious if an ex-convict is seen carrying a dead body." Dumbledore offered, reaching over to pick up Cedric.

Sirius nodded and picked Harry up, walking over to Dumbledore. "Alright. One, two, three!"

The two men grabbed the portkey, each holding brave, honest, and intelligent boys that didn't deserve their fates.

* * *

Harry felt more than saw Sirius and Dumbledore land back at the quidditch stadium. Immediately there were gasps and whispers of "are they dead?" and "what's happened?" Harry heard Mr. Diggory's anguished cries and they broke his resolve even more - he couldn't stay here.

Sirius realized this too. "Harry, keep your face pressed against me, I'm taking you to Dumbledore's office." Harry did as he was told and tried to stifle the sobs that were racking his body as his father carried him out of the arena.

Halfway to the castle, Harry couldn't hold it in anymore - he felt as if he were suffocating.

Sirius heard his boy's sobs and kneeled down on the grass for a moment to try and comfort him. "Harry, baby, it's okay. I'll get you some dreamless sleep soon and some food. Daddy will take good care of you, okay? You're so brave, son. I'm so proud of you, my wonderful boy." He continued to whisper these reassurances to Harry, but this time Harry wasn't calming down. Now that he knew he was safe in his father's arms, he didn't have the resolve that he had in the graveyard - all the memories were crashing down on him.

Sirius was getting desperate - he didn't want anyone to leave the arena and see his son like this, they needed to get moving. However, he didn't feel that it would be a smart decision for him to try and carry Harry when he was so distressed. So, he did the only thing he knew to do to calm his boy down: " _When I am down, and oh my soul so weary. When troubles come, and my heart burdens me. Then I am still, and waiting in the silence. Until you come, and sit a while with me."_

He pressed Harry to him as he sang, enveloping the boy in as much warmth and love as he could muster, knowing that his mother's song would be the only thing to calm him. Sure enough, Harry's sobs turned into hiccups as he nuzzled into Sirius.

" _You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas. I am strong, when I am on your shoulders, you raise me-"_ Sirius's voice stopped abruptly as he fell backwards. Harry tried to scream, but found that his voice was gone. He reached out to hug Sirius, silently begging the man to get up and keep singing to him; he needed him. He felt a hand grab his shoulder and jerk him upwards, practically carrying him back to the castle. Harry tried to scream and claw his way back to Sirius, but it was no use - whoever his kidnapper was, he was strong.

Once he realized that he had no choice, Harry attempted to get a look at his attacker. "YOU!" He mouthed out, still unable to speak.

Mad-Eye Moody looked down at him with his magical eye and frowned. "Calm down, laddie, we're just going back to the castle. Dumbledore asked me to take you, he needed to see Sirius." He said the last part with a wicked grin that made Harry's heart do somersaults. Harry looked back at his limp father on the ground and felt tears come to his eyes. _Please be okay,_ he thought to himself, still attempting to fight the grip Moody had him in, knowing that this was a trick. Dumbledore wouldn't do this, he wouldn't ask Mad-Eye to hurt Sirius so he could "talk to him." Harry didn't know where he was going, but one thing was for sure - the night wasn't over, it was only beginning, and it looked to be a pretty bad one.

A/N: There will be lots of cliffhangers for the rest of this part of the story ;) Also I did purposely make Harry a lot more emotional in this part compared to in the books, but Sirius and him are so unguarded with one another, Harry's not trying to keep up the "Boy-Who-Lived" mantra around him. I think he feels comfortable breaking down like this in front of his father, and that's why he does. In the book, Sirius and Harry, though close and open with one another, aren't as close as I have made them in this story. It doesn't necessarily mean I'm trying to make Harry a weak character, I want him to be strong and brave (And you'll continue to see that in this story), but I also want him to be open and unguarded with Sirius, so that's why I made him have a breakdown in this one: Once he was with his father and knew he was safe, the memories came rushing back and it literally was too much to bear at the moment. Anyway, thanks for reading, and please review!


	32. Barty Crouch Jr

A/N: I normally avoid responding to reviews because I don't want to hurt feelings/anger people unnecessarily, but I always read them and use them to better my story. I would like for everyone to continue reviewing and giving feedback because I do appreciate it; that being said, I ran across one review today that I don't agree with, and I want to defend my stance on that. I got a critique saying that Harry was pretty useless in my story, all he did was cry and wait for Sirius to save him. I don't think this is true, and for in-depth evidence of that, re-read chapter 30, where Harry stunned an imperiused Victor Krum, solved the sphinx's riddle, and saved Cedric from an acromantula. However, he's also a fourteen year old boy that's still learning a lot and doesn't have his wand, which is what saved him in the books. Since I took away his wand, I had to find another way to save him, which came in the form of Sirius and Dumbledore. Now, as much as I like Sirius, I have to disagree with the second part of the comment as well - Sirius has barely saved Harry in any of these situations. He's been too late to protect him in almost every one of them, including his last encounter with Voldemort - it was really Dumbledore's preparation that saved Harry. Sirius has mostly been comforting Harry after these encounters, the way a father would be expected to. And also, to address the comment about Harry crying: I don't think I've made him too emotional really, in all thirty of the chapters I wrote he's probably cried in six of them. However, this Harry was abused and has now had to face the wrath of the darkest wizard ever - I think the boy deserves to let out some of that emotion now that he has a parent to do so with. The main reason I think he was so hardened in the books is because he never really had someone truly and fully fulfill the role of a parent, so he had to hold himself together constantly. In this one he does have a full time parent, so that's why he might seem to cry a bit more, though I've tried to keep it at a minimum. Don't worry though, Harry still has three more years to prove his power and strength and he will. Sorry for the rant and if you guys still disagree with my stance on this, I will definitely try and improve it by making a more hardened Harry. Now, on with the story!

* * *

Harry felt Mad-Eye throw him into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Moody shut and locked the door with magic, then turned to Harry. Harry found that the silencing charm had worn off and he could speak again. "What's going on?" He demanded, turning to face his professor and summoning his Gryffindor courage.

"I told you, Potter. Dumbledore wants to talk to your father." Moody said, hobbling over to his desk and searching for something.

"He wouldn't have wanted you to hurt him." Harry said angrily, gesturing out the door.

"I didn't hurt him… maybe I should have, now that I think about it." Moody mumbled, still frantically searching the desk drawers. "Anyway, tell me what happened in the graveyard, Potter."

Harry began to open his mouth to retort something about not trusting Moody, but then he stopped himself. "I… I don't think anybody has said anything about a graveyard, Professor."

Moody looked at Harry darkly, a twisted smile coming across his face. "Let me see your arm, Potter. Let me see where the deed was done."

Harry stepped back, "What…"

Moody was laughing hysterically now. "Nobody ever guessed Alastor Moody, did they? Well, Dumbledore's interference may have saved you from the Dark Lord, but I'll finish what he started-"

Harry shouted "Expelliarmus" at the same time as five other wizards shouted "Stupefy." The effect was instantaneous - Moody was out like a light.

* * *

" _Finite,_ " Dumbledore said quietly, awakening Sirius.

"Sirius," Lupin said, kneeling down beside his friend. "What happened? Who took Harry?"

"Moody," Sirius growled angrily. "I can't believe I was so daft. Harry was just so distraught, I wanted to help, but I've put him in more danger!"

"Hush, Sirius, that's not your fault. You're a good father." McGonagall said, helping Remus pull Sirius to his feet.

"I agree, Minerva. Sirius, you have been fantastic for him. That being said, we need to find Harry before it is too late." Dumbledore said, making a dash for the castle, the other professors, now including Snape, following at his heels.

"Severus, do you have the veritaserum? I'm afraid we will have to use it on the imposter." Dumbledore said, not slowing his pace any.

Before Snape could answer, Sirius asked, "Imposter? What do you mean?"

"There is no way that Alastor Moody would have done this. I don't care what people say about his mind, he is a good man. He wouldn't have stunned you, and he certainly would not have taken Harry out of our sight." Dumbledore said, turning a corner and reaching the dark defense class room. "I hear Harry, ready to go in?"

The others nodded, and with a shout cast their spells against the imposter as they ran inside.

* * *

Harry was shocked at first at how easily Moody had passed out. Then, once he realized he was no longer alone, he looked up. Sirius and Remus both beckoned him over to them, and Harry immediately ran between the two, being engulfed by them both.

"Severus, the veritaserum. We'll wait until the polyjuice wears off…" Dumbledore mumbled, pulling Snape up to where Moody was seated. Dumbledore pointed his wand at the imposter and ropes shot out it, tying Moody up.

"I can't believe Moody did all this," Harry mumbled, stepping near Dumbledore.

"This is not the real Alastor Moody, Harry. The real Moody would not have taken you out of mine nor Sirius's sight tonight." Dumbledore said, looking at the imposter with disgust.

"Albus, don't you think Potter should be taken to the hospital wing… hasn't he been through enough tonight?" McGonagall offered, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"He needs to see who has put him through this terrible ordeal, Minerva. The first step to acceptance is understanding, after all." Dumbledore said calmly, observing Harry with his piercing blue stare.

Harry nodded and then turned back to the fake Moody, who was beginning to change.

Sirius stepped forward in shock as the imposter's appearance became apparent. "Barty Crouch Jr.? No…"

Sirius turned to look at Harry and Harry nodded up at him. "That's the guy from that dream I had, back when my scar hurt."

Dumbledore nodded to Snape, "the veritaserum, Severus."

Snape poured it down Crouch's throat, then Dumbledore _enervated_ the man.

"Are you Barty Crouch Jr.?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

The man nodded with a wicked grin. "I am."

"Did you attack Alastor Moody on the night of August 31?"

The man nodded again.

"Have you been impersonating him this entire year?"

Another nod, the same wicked grin playing on his features.

"How did you escape Azkaban prison?" This question came from Sirius, who was clearly shocked that a prisoner he had assumed to be dead had escaped.

"My father and mother of course. The dementors sensed I was dying and the ministry informed my family. My mother was dying from a broken heart, so she begged my father to switch us out so that I may live. They snuck her into Azkaban under a disillusionment charm and snuck me out the same way. My father put the imperius on me so that I would behave… until I learned to fight it and started putting it on him." Crouch croaked out.

"It was you at the Quidditch World Cup…" Harry mumbled, looking at the man incredulously. "You got your house elf in so much trouble."

"Yes, tragic." Crouch mumbled, still smiling. "She was a good elf. She took care of me while my father threw himself into his work and she convinced him to let me go to the cup since I used to love quidditch. I saw those traitorous death eaters mocking my Lord, so I thought I would scare them, show them what a true follower of the Dark Lord looks like."

"Have you attacked Harry three times this year? Did you kill your father?" Dumbledore asked, the twinkle gone from his eyes. Harry was beginning to understand why Voldemort feared this man - he could be extremely intimidating when he wanted to be.

"Yes to both of them." Crouch said, turning to Harry hungrily, as if he just realized the boy was there. Sirius instinctively pulled Harry backwards, away from the man. "Harry's attacks were part of the plan to make the Dark Lord rise again. My father was beginning to resist the imperius and I knew he would interfere with my plans if I didn't take care of him."

"Why did you attack Harry?" Dumbledore asked, stepping threateningly around Crouch.

"The first time was simply to distract them from my father so I could kill him. The second time, I imperiused young Malfoy to take Harry's wand during his class and attack him when he went to search for it. I made him properly obliviate the memory from Harry, then I did my own special spellwork to give him amnesia for a few weeks to keep him from training too hard for the third task. The Dark Lord discovered that their wands share cores, which would pose a challenge if he tried to duel Potter, so I have kept his wand. I imperiused Malfoy because I got word that Potter's father suspected me and wanted to get him off my trail." He said the last part as a growl towards Sirius, who in turn clenched his fists.

"I owe you an apology," Remus mumbled to Sirius, but Sirius waved him off and kept listening to Crouch.

"The third attack was for similar reasons - I wanted to weaken and distract Potter from the third task, keep him too injured to train hard before he faced the Dark Lord. I also wanted to continue making you all suspect young Malfoy, partially to keep you from interfering with my plans, but also to get payback on Malfoy Senior, who thinks he's something valuable to the Dark Lord." Crouch said this with disgust, but his grin quickly returned. "And the plan worked, the Dark Lord is back. Show them Potter."

Dumbledore reached for Harry's arm where it was sliced open from Wormtail. "I-I'm sorry sir, I couldn't stop him."

"It's not your fault, Harry," Dumbledore said, keeping his eyes on Crouch. "Sirius, take Harry to my office now. I'll meet you both up there once I find out where the real Alastor Moody is… I'm assuming since you used Polyjuice, you had to keep him alive, correct?"

Harry didn't hear Crouch's answer because he was being pulled out of the room by Sirius. Sirius's grip on Harry's arm was tight and Harry was slightly frightened - was Sirius mad at him for going with Moody?

Sirius turned and noticed Harry's fright. He tried to smile at him, but it was forced. He would have time to comfort Harry later, but he was not about to make the same mistake again and risk Harry getting kidnapped before they reached Dumbledore's office.

The silence was suffocating Harry and Sirius's grip was beginning to be painful. "Dad?" Harry asked tentatively.

"We can talk when we get to the Headmaster's office," Sirius said quickly, turning another corner.

"Are you mad?" Harry asked, trying to keep up with his father's long legs.

"Not at you, puppy. I promise," he added the last part when he looked at Harry and saw the fear in his eyes.

Harry nodded and kept silent the rest of the way as they reached the stone gargoyle.

"Shit," Sirius mumbled, realizing he didn't know the password. "Lemon drops? Licorice Twists? Chocolate frogs?"

After a few more tries, the gargoyle leapt to the side to reveal the staircase. When the two finally reached the office, Sirius led Harry over to the couch in the room and sat him down. Sirius surveyed his son for a moment, unsure of what to say. He clearly wasn't okay, so asking how he felt was out of the question.

"I'm so proud of you," he finally said after a minutes hesitation, pulling Harry into him.

Harry let out a relieved sigh and nuzzled into his father. "Regardless," Sirius finally said after a minute of hugging his son. "I was terrified tonight, Harry. We thought we lost you."

Harry looked up at his father and saw tears in his eyes - he hated when Sirius cried, mostly because it rarely ever happened and it meant his dad was feeling unbearable pain. Wanting to distract him, Harry asked a question that had been on his mind since they left the graveyard. "What now?"

"You're going home. Dumbledore already said I could take you, don't worry about the last week of school. For right now… I think Dumbledore's going to make you talk to him about tonight, despite my wishes as your dad." Sirius mumbled, looking down at his son apologetically.

Harry nodded, expecting something like that. The two sat together on the couch like that until Dumbledore had returned, looking weary. He attempted to smile and sat down across from the two.

"Harry," Dumbledore started kindly as Fawkes flew above them. "I assume Sirius has told you why I insisted you come here first before you stay in the hospital wing?"

Harry nodded against his father's chest before sitting up and looking at Dumbledore. "You have shown courage far beyond what was expected of you tonight and have shouldered burdens many grown wizards have not. I ask you to show your courage one more time and tell us what happened before we arrived."

Harry's throat seemed to have dried and the lump forming there made it hard to begin. Fawkes perched on his knee and released a beautiful note that filled the room, strengthening Harry substantially.

"Oh, before you start," Dumbledore said, sensing that Harry still needed a moment to collect his thoughts. "I retrieved your wand."

He handed Harry his old wand, and Harry felt relief sweep through him. Dumbledore's old wand may have been powerful, but his was special to him. Without it, he felt bare and vulnerable.

"Now, if you will, Harry," Dumbledore said quietly, gesturing toward him

Harry nodded. "Well, Cedric and I took the cup together, thinking that it would be a Hogwarts victory either way. We were port keyed to the graveyard and I read the name Tom Riddle on a tombstone. I immediately realized where we were and told Cedric that we had to leave, but it was too late. Pettigrew walked out carrying a black bundle and he tied me up and gagged me and k-killed Cedric. Then he did some weird ritual and made a potion and dropped the black bundle into it. It was Voldemort and he was resurrected. They needed my blood for the potion, apparently it would make him stronger than if they just used any enemy."

Dumbledore nodded, but looked oddly relieved and not horrified. Sirius on the other hand let out a vehement exclamation about _that traitor_ harming his boy.

"Well, Voldemort has gotten past that obstacle. Continue, Harry." Dumbledore said once Sirius had calmed.

"Er- well Voldemort was resurrected and he used Pettigrew's dark mark to call the remaining Death Eaters to him. Then he released me and made me duel him… but it wasn't exactly a duel. It was mostly him using the cruciatus and attempting to kill me. I had just dodged the killing curse when you two arrived." Harry said, finishing and allowing his father to hug him again.

"I will say it again, Harry. You have been very courageous and have given us all something with which we can expect from you. Now, I think some dreamless sleep and healing of your injuries is in order with Madam Pomfrey. I assume, Sirius, that you will be staying with him?" Dumbledore said, turning to Sirius who was resting his chin on the top of Harry's head.

Sirius nodded and stood, helping Harry up in the process with shaking hands. Harry smiled at him gratefully, but Sirius didn't return it - his mind seemed to be on something else.

Together the three walked to the hospital wing, where Harry got dressed and allowed Madam Pomfrey to heal his leg where the spider attacked him and his arm where he was stabbed. Sirius kissed the top of his forehead once he was in bed, and then changed into Padfoot. The large grim-like dog climbed on the bed beside Harry and laid his head on Harry's stomach. Harry patted him once on the head before taking the potion and falling into a peaceful slumber.

Once he knew Harry was good and asleep, Sirius got up and walked back to his quarters, doing his best to hold in his emotions until he got there. Once he walked through the portrait hole, he punched the wall repeatedly and screamed as loud as possible, finally releasing the pent-up anger he had been feeling all evening - towards Barty Crouch Jr. and Voldemort for putting his boy through this, towards Pettigrew in general, but mostly towards himself for being so daft and putting his son in more danger. He fell to his knees and sobbed, feeling unbearable grief and guilt for letting James down on his promise to protect Harry. He fell into a fitful sleep on his kitchen floor, still hiccuping from his outburst and very aware of the pain exploding in his hand.


	33. Something Sinister

A/N: I was on a roll writing today. Enjoy and review!

"Sirius? SIRIUS! What on Earth? WAKE UP!" Remus shouted, shaking Sirius's shoulders repeatedly.

"Wha-" Sirius mumbled, opening his eyes groggily and looking at his friend.

"Sirius, Harry's so confused. He woke up and you weren't there. Why would you leave him?" Remus asked, doing his best to keep his anger down.

"Oh god," Sirius mumbled, sitting up and putting his face in his hands. "Harry…"

"Are you drunk?" Remus asked, astounded.

"NO! Gosh Moony, I'm not an idiot… although that's what it feels like right now." Sirius mumbled the last part, looking down.

"Then why did you leave your son? He _needs_ you, Sirius. He woke up to Molly, Ron, Hermione, Bill, and I sitting around his bedside, and the first thing out of his mouth is 'where's Sirius?'"

"I didn't mean to leave him for so long… I was going to explode, Moony! I came back here to get my anger out," Sirius held up his hand guiltily, which was now swollen and crusted over with dried blood. "But I had fully planned to come back once I calmed down, I didn't think he would wake up for at least twelve hours… I must have fallen asleep here… God, I'm horrible."

"Sirius, stop. You're not horrible, and even if you aren't a perfect father, you're the only thing Harry wants and needs." Remus said gently, softening now that he knew Sirius hadn't just abandoned Harry. "Second best only to James."

"God James," Sirius said, putting his face back in his hands. "I promised him, Moony. I wasn't going to let a thing harm Harry and look at what's happened! I've failed them both, two of the people I cared most about. I don't deserve to be Harry's godfather or have him call me dad or any of that. I'm rubbish."

Remus, now fully realizing what was wrong with his friend, hugged him. "Padfoot, you aren't rubbish. You had no way of knowing, how many times have we been through this? Voldemort and Pettigrew and… well, now Crouch Jr. are the enemies here; you did what you thought was best for Harry and he loves you for it. He doesn't think any less of you for your mistakes and neither would James. You're the best damn godfather I've ever seen. Now _come on_ , your godson needs you, he thought you left him."

Remus picked Sirius up off the floor and brushed him off, then tapped his wand against his friend's hand to heal the injury. "That damn temper," Remus mumbled, slightly amused.

Sirius chuckled but still didn't meet his friend's eyes. On the way back to the hospital wing, Remus caught Sirius up on what had been happening at the ministry that night and how Fudge was reacting. Sirius's anger rekindled at the news, but he calmed himself as he thought of Harry and how much the boy needed him at the moment. As soon as they reached the large oak doors leading to the room, Sirius burst through and walked straight to his son, engulfing him in a hug that was returned gratefully.

"I'm so sorry, puppy, I didn't expect you to be awake so soon. I had to go to my quarters for a few hours, I didn't mean to frighten you." Sirius whispered, feeling Harry tighten his grip around his neck.

"It's okay, dad." Harry said, feeling much better now that Sirius was back.

Molly Weasley bristled beside the bed, clearly angry at Sirius for not being around when Harry woke up, but also recognizing how much the two cared for each other. Using her better judgement, she didn't comment on Sirius's absence, but instead turned to Harry. "Would you like to have a bite to eat now, Harry dear?"

Harry nodded as Sirius summoned a chair for him to sit on beside the bed. He grabbed his son's hand and looked at him. "Alright?" He asked gently.

Harry nodded again and accepted the plate of food Mrs. Weasley offered him. "Are we going home soon?"

"As soon as Madame Pomfrey says you can leave," Sirius said with a nod. "I'll have Moony go with me later to collect all our stuff so we can get out of here sooner."

Harry nodded again and talked politely with all the visitors for the rest of the morning. The Weasleys eventually left to let Harry get more sleep, but he didn't feel like he needed it at the moment.

He turned to his father and Remus, who were still sitting to the right of his bedside, looking at him in a concerned manner. "Has the ministry responded to what happened?" Harry asked, wanting to know what the first step in fighting Voldemort would be.

Sirius and Remus shared a look and then nodded. "Er- Fudge doesn't exactly believe Voldemort's back. Dumbledore is meeting with the Wizengamot now to discuss it all." Sirius said, rolling his eyes. "Fudge can be a pretty daft man."

"He… he doesn't believe me? Believe us?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Well, he obviously doesn't believe me. Prejudice runs deep, puppy. People thought I was a murderer for years, most people don't trust me much at all. Dumbledore and you, on the other hand, should be believed… people are just scared what that might mean." Sirius said, looking to Remus.

"The last time Voldemort gained power, he almost took everything we hold dear. Fudge is doing everything he can to deny that fact and prevent mass chaos among the public… however, in doing so, he is making a very dangerous decision. That's why Dumbledore is pleading the case now. There's also another portion of it…" Remus said, looking back at Sirius with a pained expression.

Sirius huffed and looked down. "Harry… I don't know how to tell you this. In fact, I've been told by multiple people not to tell you yet, but I won't keep you in the dark. Fudge is looking for ways to discredit you, and he thinks he's found a way to make Cedric's case seem like an accident while also making people less likely to listen to you… he's saying in the heat of the tournament, you accidentally cursed Cedric instead of the beast you were fighting. Basically, he's saying you killed him on accident and they want to try you in court…"

Harry couldn't speak, he only stared in shock. "W-what?" He finally squeaked out.

Remus nodded sadly and Sirius looked solemn. "Dumbledore's trying to get them to take away the charges. It really is a ridiculous claim. Most of the students around here believe Dumbledore and you, as well as the professor's and Cedric's parents. You're not to blame, Harry. I'll protect you with my own life before I let them convict you."

"As will I," Remus added, patting Harry's leg.

Harry nodded but couldn't find his voice. He felt his insides twist up - him, tried in a criminal wizard court? What were his charges? What could the punishment be? He had so many questions and his confusion and fear restricted him from even voicing one.

As if reading his mind, Sirius squeezed his hand. "You will _not_ be convicted. You will return here next year for your fifth year because you have done nothing wrong. If anything, you should be applauded for how well you handled everything last night. Okay, puppy? As long as I'm here, you will not need to worry about any of the consequences the ministry threatens you with."

Harry finally found his voice. "But just say what if… what if I am found guilty? Will they…"

"No," Sirius said, and his voice held a strong bit of protectiveness. "I will _never_ let you within one hundred miles of that prison. Don't even think about Azkaban because it won't happen - I'll willingly go back before I let you even step foot in there."

Harry was slightly taken aback by the fierceness in which his father had spoken, as well as a little concerned with his declaration about willingly going back for him. "I don't want you to go back." Harry mumbled.

Sirius smiled slightly and shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that, pup. I just meant if that was the only option, you or me, I would choose me one thousand times over. Okay?"

Harry nodded, but looked down. Remus reached up and squeezed Harry's shoulder. "I'll go pack your things, okay cub? I'm sure Pomfrey will let you leave tonight sometime."

Harry nodded again, and waited until Remus left the room before turning to Sirius. "You called me baby last night… a lot."

Sirius smirked. "Did I now?"

Harry nodded and met his gaze with a small smile.

"Does it bother you that I called you that? I didn't mean it in a degrading way, you know, I was _trying_ to be a comforting father." Sirius chuckled, stroking Harry's bangs back.

Harry shook his head and looked back down. After a moment, he mumbled, "did you mean it?"

"Did I mean what?"

Harry glared at him for a second then rolled his eyes. "You know… do you really think of me like… like _your_ baby."

Sirius smiled, "What do you mean 'think of you like' that? You _are_ my baby. Even though you weren't born to me, I will protect you with my life as if you were my own. I consider you to be my kid, even if sometimes I'm a terrible father and don't deserve a son like you… you're still mine now and I'm so grateful James picked me to be your godfather. I wish he was still around so you would have two 'dads.'"

Harry smiled and nodded at his father's response, then looked back down at the bed. The two fell into a comfortable silence again. After some time, Sirius patted Harry's shoulder. "Maybe you should get a bit more sleep, hm?"

Harry nodded and looked up at him. "Will you stay with me? The entire time this time?" He teased.

Sirius smiled and said "of course." He changed into Padfoot again and climbed on the bed, this time lying completely across Harry's chest and burrowing his snout into the crook of Harry's neck. Harry chuckled and stroked the long black fur on Padfoot's back until they both fell asleep.

* * *

Madame Pomfrey had cleared Harry later that afternoon, and Sirius, Remus, and him had traveled by floo back to the Marauder's Mansion. Dumbledore had sent an owl saying that he would stop by after dinner to discuss the ministry fiasco.

Once they got settled back in, Sirius had led Harry to a couch in the den to rest more and watch the telly that Remus insisted they buy last year. Harry had asked Sirius and Remus to stay with him, so they picked out a movie and sat on either side of him.

Harry was still extremely weak from the night before and ending up sprawling out across the two of them and falling asleep - this is how Dumbledore found the three when he arrived.

"Is the news good or bad?" Sirius asked with a grimace as Dumbledore sat across from them.

Dumbledore simply shook his head. "Have you told Harry?"

Sirius nodded and looked down at his son's head where it rested in his lap.

"Well, then I suppose you should wake him. He should hear all the details so he can be prepared." Dumbledore said, the familiar twinkle in his eye disappearing.

"Puppy, wake up for me." Sirius said, shaking Harry's shoulder gently.

Harry groaned, blinked the sleep out of his eyes, and looked around. Once he noticed Dumbledore, he sat up straight. "Professor."

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Dumbledore asked kindly, attempting to smile at him.

"I… I've been better." Harry answered honestly, looking down at the floor.

Dumbledore nodded, then cleared his throat. "Well, I suppose I should tell you like it is, Harry. The Ministry refuses to acknowledge Voldemort's return - Fudge seems to be putting more worth into Rita Skeeter's writings than my own memories. For that reason, he wants to discredit you… he doesn't want the public listening to you over him. What better way to do that than to claim you accidently killed Cedric Diggory on a bout of madness during the tournament?"

Harry nodded, still looking at the floor.

"You should know that Mr. and Mrs. Diggory believe me whole-heartedly. You are not to blame Harry," Dumbledore said gently, tilting Harry's face to meet his piercing blue eyes.

Harry nodded, but still had trouble holding Dumbledore's gaze. He wanted to hear the truth of it - would he be spending the next decade in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit, like his father?

"So, your hearing is scheduled for the first of August this summer. You will be tried for accidental murder and use of the unforgivable curse in front of the full Wizengamot. I will be your defense, and I will not let anything happen to you. Things will be okay." Dumbledore said, patting Harry's shoulder.

"Sir," Harry said tentatively, finally speaking up. "If convicted, what do those charges entail?"

Dumbledore finally broke eye contact with Harry and looked grave, "I don't doubt that it will be similar to what your father was charged with. The Ministry wants you out of the way right now-"

"You won't be going there," Sirius said with an air of finality. "I'll switch places with him if it comes to that, they didn't notice when Barty Crouch Jr. and his mother switched."

Harry looked extremely distressed at Sirius's confession. Remus put a hand on Harry's shoulder before he spoke. "Harry, you don't even have to worry about _that_ because you going to Azkaban won't be a concern regardless. Albus will take care of it, right?"

"Absolutely, Harry. You have nothing to fear, I daresay you'll be back at Hogwarts next year causing a ruckus." Dumbledore said, giving him a small smile. "Now, I suppose I should inform you two of what the next year of Hogwarts will entail. Remus, my apologies - the Ministry will not allow me to keep you. They want to fill your position with Dolores Umbridge instead, to teach a _ministry-approved_ course on Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'm afraid, since I have been entirely stripped of my political clout, I have no choice but to accept their decision. You are free to continue living in the castle, however. They may have the power to dismiss my teachers, but they cannot banish them from the school."

"Thank you, Dumbledore, I am grateful for the time you have given me there." Remus said, smiling at the headmaster.

Dumbledore nodded, then turned to Sirius. "Alas, they haven't tried to fire you yet, but I feel that once Umbridge arrives, she will try her best to get rid of you because of your… er-criminal background, at least in the ministry's eyes."

Sirius nodded, "as I expected."

"You will return to the castle and stay as long as you can. I need as many order members as possible there. Speaking of which, that's what I would like for you two to do this summer. Since the ministry is refusing to help us fight Voldemort, we need to alert the old crowd and reform the Order of the Phoenix. If either of you have a good location for the Order, please let me know as soon as possible."

Sirius and Remus shared a knowing look before nodding towards the headmaster. "Grimmauld Place, sir," Sirius said, though he looked rather sick at his words.

"That would work, my dear boy. I'll keep it in mind and let you know. Keep me posted on who has agreed to rejoin the order. With that, I bid you farewell. Rest now, Harry, I will be in touch soon." Dumbledore said, standing and walking out of the room, his long, light blue robes billowing in his wake.

Harry sat still in between them. Remus was the first to stand. "I'll go make a quick dinner for us."

Harry and Sirius nodded as he walked out of the den towards the kitchen. Sirius put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Alright?" He asked gently, attempting to get Harry to look at him.

Harry nodded slowly. "As good as I can be, I suppose."

"Things will get better," Sirius said. "You'll see, Moony and I won't let any harm come to you. I promise."

Harry smiled at his dad before they both stood and followed Remus to the kitchen. Things were definitely looking darker, but with a proper family now, Harry felt that he could make it through anything.


	34. New Faces and Places

A/N: I wrote a one-shot today about Sirius and Remus raising Harry. Go check it out for something different from this story and review it for me please! I do intend to keep writing this story, I just wanted to take a break and try something slightly different. I have more ideas for one-shots and stories, but I would like to finish this first before I pursue too many. Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy and review!

The summer started out quiet due to Harry's lingering distress over the tournament, as well as the issue of having to avoid both Voldemort and the Ministry. The three tried to get back into their old schedule at the Marauder's Mansion: Sirius and Harry went flying in the mornings while Remus cooked breakfast, then they would part ways to complete whatever work needed to be done for the Order or, in Harry's case, his summer homework. After lunch, the three would reconvene and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening together doing whatever they pleased.

Despite the relaxing days, Harry was still plagued with nightmares from the tournament. Sirius woke Harry up almost every night to comfort him while Remus prepared hot chocolate for the three of them to sit and drink until Harry was ready to sleep again. It was on a night like this that Harry had a more realistic nightmare - one that unnerved him when he awoke, considering it had nothing to do with the tournament. He also felt a prickling in his scar, similar to what happened last summer. Realizing that he hadn't been loud enough during his nightmare to evoke a response from Sirius or Remus, he stood and walked out of his bedroom.

He walked quietly across the hall to his godfather's room and hesitated - he had a quick flashback, remembering the Dursley's reactions to being woken up when he was younger. He attempted to push the thought away. Sirius was always there for him, he wouldn't mind; besides, he was woken up every night due to Harry anyway.

Despite this, Harry still stopped himself from opening the door. Perhaps he should just go back to sleep in his own room? This was, after all, the first night he had _not_ woken his guardians due to a nightmare, he didn't want to be a burden to his father. He should probably just let him get some well-deserved rest.

As he took an indecisive step back to his room, he heard Sirius's husky, sleep-filled voice call him back. "Come on in, puppy."

Harry smiled slightly, but couldn't help but feel guilty for waking his dad up - obviously he would have heard Harry walking around with his animagus abilities.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled when he stepped into his father's line of vision. Sirius was still lying back in bed, but he was fully awake and had his usual, good-natured smirk playing on his features.

"And why are you sorry?" Sirius asked, propping himself up and gesturing for Harry to sit on the other side of the bed.

"For waking you…" Harry mumbled, sitting down but not meeting his father's gaze.

"Ah, see, I wasn't actually asleep. It seems my body has developed a schedule of it's own." Sirius said, smiling apologetically.

Harry's face clearly showed guilt and Sirius wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and pulled him close. "Don't worry about me, puppy. I don't mind helping you with your nightmares at all - I must admit, if it weren't for you, I would certainly wake up from my own nightmares quite often."

Harry looked at him questioningly, but Sirius shook his head. "Don't worry about that. What's got you up so late?"

"I had a dream… not really a nightmare this time. It didn't make any sense though. All I could see was a dark door in a dark hallway - that's it." Harry said shrugging and leaning into his dad.

"Hm, peculiar," Sirius mumbled, appearing to be deep in thought. "Perhaps it's one of those dreams that represent something? Like that divination rubbish that you learn?"

Harry smiled at his father's quip against his least favorite subject and nodded. "Maybe," he said simply, closing his eyes and listening to his dad's heartbeat.

Sirius noticed that Harry didn't want to talk more about the dream and started rubbing his son's back to soothe him to sleep. He kissed the scarred forehead before whispering, "go to sleep now, puppy. I'll be here if you need me."

Harry nodded slightly against his dad's chest before falling into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Harry awoke in his father's room to an empty bed. It was early in the morning still, the sun barely rising over the countryside, visible out Sirius's large window. He rubbed his hand across the sheets and noticed they were still warm from where his father had been sleeping.

Harry reluctantly pulled himself out of bed to go find Remus or his father. When he reached the landing above the sitting room, he stopped. He heard Remus's voice first, followed by Sirius's barking laughter. He smiled, happy to hear that the two were enjoying themselves. He continued downstairs and stood outside the den to determine whether or not he should interrupt them.

"I told you she would want to see you, Sirius. I knew it was a matter of time before she sought you out herself." Remus said, a tone of laughter echoing through the house.

Harry heard Sirius chuckle again and wondered who the girl Remus was talking about was, and why she was seeking out Sirius.

"I won't lie to you and say I don't miss Lucy. But Remus, I've got all I need here with Harry and you. Besides, what kind of girl would want to date a nutjob that's been in prison for twelve years?" Sirius said good-naturedly, and Harry bit his lip. He hated that his father was so down on himself about Azkaban, even if he was joking - all the girls at Hogwarts thought he was extremely charming, so why didn't he think this girl would like him? Especially if this was the same Lucy from the story Sirius told Harry earlier that year.

"Just take her up on her offer, invite her over! Catch up, you haven't seen each other in fourteen years. It doesn't have to lead to anything." Remus said.

"I know, but… Harry needs me. I don't want to risk losing my boy's trust over an old-" Sirius was cut off abruptly and Harry was confused. He was now sitting on the floor with his back to the den entrance, leaning up against the wall and listening closely. His heart started beating fast; what if someone broke through the wards and were threatening his father or Remus?

Before Harry could turn around and see, he felt himself being tackled to the ground and heard his father's bark-like laugh in his ear. He was lying on his stomach, face pressed into the soft carpet, with Sirius kneeling on top of him and Remus moving around in front of him.

"Harry, my boy, hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to eavesdrop?" Remus asked, mirth leaking out of his voice.

Harry muffled an incoherent response into the carpet. "Hm, now that won't do," Sirius said, playfully, ruffling his son's messy hair. "Looks like we're going to have to teach you some manners. What do you think, Remus, elephant ears for a week might show him?"

Harry howled in protest and tried to kick his father off of him, realizing he had been caught red-handed by two marauders.

"I don't know, Sirius, I was thinking more along the lines of blue hair that flashed fluorescent pink whenever he tried to listen into a conversation." Remus said, chuckling.

"G'off my back, ya ol' mutt," Harry yelled into the carpet, still attempting to escape.

"Oi! Add insult to injury? You're not making it better for yourself, puppy." Sirius said, laughing again. "Perhaps this will teach you." Sirius promptly poked Harry's ribcage with his fingers, causing Harry to buck up under him and squirm.

"Dad-no!" Harry gasped, laughing and attempting to pull out of his father's grip. "Please!"

Sirius chuckled and stopped tickling his son, but refused to let him up nonetheless. "So, little prongs, what are you going to do next time you're tempted to eavesdrop into your father's personal affairs?"

"Be quicker in my escape," Harry said dully, earning more laughter from the older two Marauders.

Sirius got off his son's back and helped him up, ruffling his hair playfully. "Do you want to invite Ron and Hermione over? You deserve to have some fun."

"I'll invite them, if you invite Lucy," Harry said with a grin, causing Sirius to look indignant and Remus to laugh again.

Sirius stood there for a moment before shaking his head. "Fine, I give up! I'll invite her. It's more for you two than for me though, you've worn down my resolve!" He said, feigning dramatics.

"Whatever you say, Siri," Harry said, laughing and walking to the kitchen to help the older men make breakfast.

* * *

The day wore on and Hermione and Ron had indeed joined Harry in the Marauder's Mansion. Harry was able to relax and enjoy the day with his friends; Sirius on the other hand, was feeling nervous, though he would never admit it to Remus.

He had taken up Lucy's offer to meet up and invited her over, though it was only to talk, he told himself strictly. He refused to start a relationship at this point in his life. Sure, he was once very popular among the female wizarding population, but he felt too broken now - twelve years in the world's darkest prison would do that to a man. Besides, Harry needed him and he refused to let anything get in the way of his relationship with his son.

Despite this, Sirius still felt very nervous - he wasn't sure why, but perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he hadn't seen Lucy in almost fourteen years, and of those fourteen, she thought he was a blood-thirsty murderer for the majority of it. The encounter would be awkward in the least.

It was for this reason that Sirius practically jumped out of his chair every time a noise sounded through the house, which mostly came from Ron and Harry's game of exploding snap. After the third time it happened, Harry smirked at his father and Sirius abruptly left the room with the excuse of needing "peace and quiet."

"Blimey mate, what's gotten into Sirius? I haven't seen him this unsettled since the night we were in the Shrieking Shack!" Ron said, taking his turn at exploding snap.

"Yeah, really," Hermione added, looking at the door Sirius just went out of with concern. "He's normally so carefree, what's going on?"

"It's kind of a long story," Harry said with a shrug. "There was this girl he sort of fancied his last year of Hogwarts and they were this perfect match or something back then. Now that he's been proven innocent, she wants to see him again. He didn't really want to, but Moony and I convinced him."

"Oh, but that's wonderful!" Hermione said with a smile. "He's been lonely for such a long time, he deserves a little love."

Harry frowned. "He's got me though, why would he be lonely?"

"It's different," Hermione said, matter-of-factly. "I mean, he obviously adores you, but having someone to share such intimate affection with is important."

This did little to comfort Harry. He hadn't thought about it that way before - he just considered Lucy to be an old friend of the Marauder's that was stopping by for a visit, _not_ a potential love interest for his dad. Was it selfish of Harry to be against sharing his father's attention with someone?

Hermione caught onto Harry's thought process quickly. "Don't think about it like that, Harry, this will be good for Sirius and you. If she went to Hogwarts with them, she could probably tell you more about your parents! And you know, if it goes well, she could be like a surrogate mom or something-"

"I don't want a _surrogate mom_ , Hermione. That's not how I see Sirius, anyway. I know he's not my real dad and I don't want him to replace my real dad… I don't think Sirius wants that either. But Sirius and I have a special bond and I love him and don't want to miss out on spending time with him over some… some girl." Harry shrugged and looked down at his lap.

Ron cleared his throat, clearly feeling slightly awkward at Harry's show of emotions. "Well, mate, it might not be all bad. Besides, do we even know that's what she's here for? She might just want to catch up with old friends."

Harry nodded and smiled gratefully at his best mate. "Yeah, that's it. I doubt it will turn into anything other than that."

Hermione rolled her eyes but didn't comment anymore. Harry and Ron continued their game of exploding snap, Harry feeling more uncomfortable and nervous than he had been before they started.

* * *

"You ready?" Remus asked, sending his friend a knowing smile.

"Of course, it's just Lucy, Remus. Not like I'm meeting the queen or anything." Sirius said with a shrug, feigning apathy.

"If I didn't know you so well, I'd say you were nervous." Remus prodded, a smug look on his face.

"What are you implying, Moony?" Sirius asked, slightly defensive.

Remus studied his friend for a moment. "You really don't want to see her, do you?"

Sirius looked down at his lap. "It's not _that_ , necessarily. I mean, I miss her and all our old friends and how things used to be - but I've accepted that things won't ever be that way again. I'd rather move on and take care of Harry right now, and I can't do that if I try and bring Lucy back in my life. The main reason I asked her to come was because she was Lily's roommate. I'm sure Harry would like to hear about his mom from one of her friends. Maybe someday I'll meet someone, Moony, but right now I don't want a girlfriend, I want to focus on my godson."

Remus smiled and nodded. "I know, but don't get rid of the idea entirely - you might be surprised how much you enjoy her company when she gets here."

"Yeah, maybe," Sirius said with a shrug. "I wonder if Ron and Hermione are still h-"

A ring from the doorbell cut Sirius off and Remus stood to answer the door, patting Sirius on the shoulder as he left.


	35. All Yours

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I've been on a cruise and it's finals week! Here's the next chapter - also, this won't be the last time we hear from Lucy... I'm not sure that I would consider this my best written chapter, but why not throw in some teenage angst? Please keep reviewing!

"Ah, Lucy!" Harry heard Remus yell from the doorway. Hermione, Ron, and him were hidden in the sitting room, where they could hear the conversation from the kitchen without being seen. Harry didn't want to ruin his father's chance of catching up with an old friend, but he was very against the idea of someone new potentially joining their family when he hadn't even met her.

"Hey Remus," a soft voice spoke and then everything went quiet. Harry assumed Remus and her were hugging.

After a moment, Remus spoke again. "Come this way, there's someone who wants to see you."

"Oh I was so happy when I heard last year, Remus! I knew Sirius would never betray James." Harry heard Lucy say. Their voices were growing louder as they approached the kitchen and Harry tried to peer out the doorway to get a look at the mystery girl.

"Yeah, I think everyone realized that after it was too late… but speaking of James, Harry's around here somewhere, would you like to see him really quickly?" Remus asked, less than five feet from the sitting room door.

Harry turned back to Ron and Hermione looking panicked. Ron mirrored his facial expression and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Harry! You can face a basilisk but you won't meet one of your parents' old friends?"

"Not when she might have the hots for my dad!" Harry hissed, grabbing the invisibility cloak that he had brought down from his room earlier and throwing it over the three of them. Hermione immediately took it off herself and the door opened before Harry or Ron could pull her back under.

"Oh hey, Hermione," Remus said with a gentle smile. "I thought I heard Harry in here, where did Ron and him go?"

Hermione gave the space beside her a glare and Remus caught on immediately. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm sure he'll show up eventually. Come and join us in the kitchen if you would like."

Hermione nodded and thanked Remus and he shut the door again. Remus had been standing in front of Lucy, so Harry didn't see her. He heard the two continue on to the kitchen - after a moment, Harry's curiosity got the best of him.

"I'm going in to listen, are you two coming?" Harry asked, removing the invisibility cloak and turning to Ron and Hermione.

"No, Harry! Let's just stay in here," Hermione said, attempting to snatch the cloak out of his hands.

"I'm going, Hermione," Harry said, standing up and walking towards the door Remus had just closed. "You coming, mate?" He asked, turning towards Ron.

Ron gave Hermione a nervous look and shook his head. "Go ahead mate, I'll keep Hermione company."

Harry nodded and threw the cloak over him again before walking out of the room and slipping into the kitchen. What he saw when he walked in did not help his nerves - Lucy had practically jumped in Sirius's arms in her attempt to hug him. Sirius looked happy, but also a little conflicted. Remus, on the other hand, was snickering loudly at his friend's predicament.

From what Harry could see of Lucy, she was medium-sized and skinny, with freckled, tan skin and light brown hair. When Sirius and her broke apart, he noticed she had very pretty, petite features and light blue eyes, similar to Sirius's; the main difference was Sirius's eyes often took on a grey hue, whereas her's looked like the sky.

Harry had been studying her so intently that he missed the first part of their conversation. He went to move to the other end of the kitchen where he was less likely to be bumped into; however, this proved to be a mistake. As soon as Harry took a step, Remus moved in the opposite direction - the two hit shoulders and Remus immediately looked down to see what caused it.

"What is it, Remus?" Lucy asked, staring at him in concern. Sirius was too busy looking in the fridge to notice that Remus was reaching out into thin air.

"I felt something," Remus mumbled, a knowing glint in his eye while he studied the exact spot Harry was standing.

"I've always said Moony was losing his mind," Sirius said, chuckling and pulling out a butterbeer for Lucy.

"At least I'm not crazy enough to eavesdrop on two Marauders," Remus said quietly, sending a wicked smile in Harry's direction before joining Lucy and now Sirius at the table.

Sirius laughed. "Are you talking about what Harry did this morning? Maybe we should have pranked him, it would have been pretty funny for him to introduce himself to Lucy with elephant ears."

Lucy smiled and shook her head, laughing. "I don't even want to know what happened this morning, but tell me about Harry. What's he like? And tell me about yourself! It's been so long."

Sirius smirked slightly and took a shot of the firewhiskey he had been nursing for an hour now. "There's not much to tell about me. Harry on the other hand is fantastic - he looks just like James, but acts more like Lily I think. He's going to be in his fifth year at Hogwarts next year and he plays on the Quidditch team, of course. I'm sure he'll get captain at some point too."

Lucy nodded and then hesitated. "I… I heard about the tournament. Are the rumors true?"

Sirius went slightly rigid at the mention of the tournament, so Remus stepped in to help. "What rumors have you heard? Because they are more than likely untrue, but it would be nice to know what the Ministry's spreading."

Lucy told them about how Harry had made up some crazy story about a death-eater to cover up him accidently killing Cedric and how the ministry plans to send Harry away to Azkaban. Sirius's demeanor changed while she retold what she had heard, and he looked much less welcoming by the end of it.

"None of that rubbish is true," Sirius growled, his grey eyes turning stormy. "Speaking of which, I should probably go spend some time with him, but it was good to see you."

Sirius went to stand up and Lucy looked surprise at his quick change in demeanor. Before either could do anything else, Remus spoke. "You won't need to go far to find him."

Sirius looked at him confused, before understanding what he meant and looking up. It was at that moment that Harry realized the toe of his shoe was sticking out of the cloak. Both Remus and Sirius were looking at it with a smirk - he had been caught.

"I'll go see if I can find him and send him in here, Sirius. You two, however, haven't seen each other in fourteen years, catch up some." Remus said, looking directly at Harry and nodding towards the door.

Lucy looked thoroughly confused throughout the entire exchange, but then snapped out of it again at the prospect of sitting alone with Sirius for a few minutes. "Yeah, Sirius. I have so much I want to talk to you about."

Sirius looked in Harry's direction almost longingly, but Remus stood up and began to walk towards the door, and Harry knew he would have to follow. Quietly, to avoid Lucy noticing, he followed Remus out and upstairs to his room.

Once they got there, Remus closed the bedroom door and looked at the spot on the bed that was dipping down from Harry's weight, a smirk on his face. "I'm going to need you to take that cloak off now, please Harry."

Harry did as he was told but kept his eyes on the ground. Remus sat beside Harry on the bed and threw an arm around his shoulders. "What's gotten into you, I thought you wanted to meet Lucy?"

Harry shook his head and kept his eyes on the ground, despite Remus sounding pleasant and not upset. "Not if she… might like Sirius."

Remus's demeanor changed from humored to confused. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to share him." Harry mumbled, embarrassed.

At this, Remus smiled again and nodded. "I see… well, let's wait and see what Sirius thinks after their exchange today. Give her a chance, Harry. You might find that you enjoy her company a lot."

Harry nodded unenthusiastically before standing up and walking towards the door. "I'm going to find Ron and Hermione."

Remus nodded, still smiling slightly. "Alright, I'll join you. I want to give them a second alone."

The two walked downstairs into the sitting room to find Hermione complaining to Ron about the pointless nature of exploding snap. Harry and Remus joined in the conversation and waited for Sirius and Lucy to finish talking.

* * *

"Come on, Sirius, tell me a little about you." Lucy said almost pleadingly.

"What is there to tell?" Sirius mumbled, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "Not to be depressing, but I was stuck in a dark cell with nothing to do for fourteen years… I haven't exactly been up to much."

Lucy fell silent and looked down at her lap. Sirius felt a little guilty about not attempting to engage her in conversation, but truth be told he wasn't really interested in picking up where they left off.

"I'm sorry," Lucy mumbled after a moment of silence. "I should have believed you… we were all so stupid. I wish things could go back to… back to the way they were."

Sirius snorted and Lucy looked affronted. "What?" She asked defensively.

Sirius shook his head before responding. "They can't go back and there's no point wasting time wishing they could. Trust me, I did plenty of that in prison."

Lucy glared at him for a moment. "Why are you being like this? You used to be so carefree… but you were never apathetic. It's like you don't even want to acknowledge that we… we…"

Sirius shook his head again and downed another shot of firewhiskey. "Sorry if it offends you, but I was stuck in a cell with all of my worst memories practically drowning me for twelve years - it's hard to be carefree when you constantly see the dead face of your best friend, or your father beating you, or Hagrid taking away Harry…" Sirius trailed of and shuddered for a moment, closing his eyes and putting his head on the table.

Neither of them spoke for a moment. Sirius lifted his head from the table and noticed Lucy had tears in her eyes - again, he felt a pang of guilt. "Sorry, Lucy… I just… I'm not interested, okay? I want you to meet and get to know Harry because I think he would like that, but I don't want a girlfriend again now."

"I know things can't be the way they were immediately, but couldn't you just consider it, Sirius? It might help us both - you weren't the only one that lost a bestfriend that night, you know." Lucy said, biting back the anger in her voice.

Sirius still shook his head. "There's more to it than that, Lucy. I've got Harry to think about now, I'm not just going to get a girlfriend out of nowhere and not give him any attention; With the tournament and this trial, he needs me."

Lucy sighed and nodded before standing up. "Just… think about it, okay? I'll wait until the trial is over to meet Harry, I don't want to burden him, but please keep in touch."

Sirius smiled his first genuine smile at her that day and nodded. "Of course I will. And you won't burden Harry, but I'm not sure that today will be the best day to meet him. Swing by for dinner sometime soon, I'll send an owl with a proper invitation."

Lucy returned his smile and nodded, then they both stood. He walked past the sitting room, an arm around Lucy's shoulders in his normal friendly nature, and led her to their door. When they were on the front porch, she leaned up to kiss his cheek and whispered a "goodbye Siri," before apparating away, leaving a thoroughly conflicted man in her wake.

After a moment of collecting himself, Sirius returned back inside and sat in the sitting room beside his son, who was now playing a rigorous game of Wizard's chess against Ron. Harry tensed when Sirius put an arm around him, and Sirius knitted his brow in confusion. Harry had shown significant improvement since leaving the Dursley's, and Remus and Sirius had worked hard to rid him of the emotional scars their abuse left behind - so why was Harry acting afraid of him now, practically a year later?

"Puppy?" Sirius whispered gently, trying to get Harry's attention - Harry didn't acknowledge him though, and continued to focus on the chess game.

Sirius looked up at Remus pleadingly and Remus knew exactly what to do. "Alright Ron and Hermione, I'm sure your parents are wondering where you are by now… I hate to break up such a good game of wizard's chess, but I'm sure you'll be back over here in a few days time."

Hermione nodded, understanding Remus's intentions, but Ron looked indignant. "Awh, Professor! It's only-"

"Ron, do you really want to deal with your mother's wrath tonight?" Hermione warned, standing up and grabbing her jumper before leading Ron to the fireplace and flooing to the Burrow.

Harry looked up at Remus, confused, but Sirius cleared his throat and cut him off before he could ask anything. "Is there something bothering you, Harry?"

Harry looked down at his lap while Remus excused himself from the room, wanting Harry to share with his father what he had told him earlier.

After a few more moments of silence, Sirius tried again. "Puppy," he said gently, tilting Harry's head up with his hand. "Tell me what's wrong."

Harry felt his face flush red and he attempted to look away, though that was hard to do when Sirius was grasping his chin. "You'll laugh at me."

Harry half-expected Sirius to point out Harry's stupidity for being embarrassed, but he didn't - instead he just sat there, cradling Harry's chin in his hand and giving his son a soft smile. "I'll try my best not to laugh."

Harry took a deep breath and met his father's grey eyes. "It's just… I don't like Lucy much."

If Sirius was surprised by Harry's blunt declaration, he didn't show it - instead, his smile turned into a bit of a smirk and he chuckled. "And why is that?"

Harry was disconcerted about Sirius's reaction - he had expected him to get angry for not giving his once true love a chance. "I just… I don't want…"

Harry took a deep breath and looked away. How was he supposed to tell his dad that the reason he didn't want him to get a girlfriend is because he didn't want to _share_ him? He would sound like a child; it was bad enough that Harry's nightmares practically restrained him from sleeping in his own bed, why did he have to behave entirely like a toddler?

"Go on," Sirius said, the smirk still playing on his features.

"I know I told you to invite Lucy over today - and I really did want to meet her then. I want to know more about my parents and she seemed like she would be good for that… and well, I also want you to be happy and have your friend back. But then Hermione came over and started talking about her and you getting married and being happy together and I… I got… er…" Harry trailed off and managed to loosen his chin from Sirius's grip so he could look away.

"First, Lucy and I are not getting back together, so get the marriage rubbish out of your head," Sirius said, ruffling Harry's hair and smiling when the boy laughed a little. "Second…" Sirius trailed off, a wicked smile playing on his worn, but handsome features. He wrapped Harry into a huge bear hug and pulled him close, laughing when Harry tried to squirm away from him. "I know I am pretty great, but there's no need to get jealous of Lucy… I'm all yours for the rest of my life, okay kiddo?"

Harry smiled at his father's antics and attempted to playfully push him away, but he couldn't deny the reassurance he felt at Sirius's words. After a few moments of struggling against his godfather's arms, he allowed himself to be buried in Sirius's embrace, and mumbled, "I love you, Padfoot."

"I love you too, puppy. Now let's go find Remmy so I can tell him what a terrible idea it was to try and find a girlfriend for me." Sirius said, barking a laugh and releasing Harry from his death grip. "Honestly, me settling down? You would have more luck convincing Dumbledore to be a Death Eater."


	36. Imprisonment

A/N: Here's another chapter, please remember to review! :)

The days turned into weeks, and soon the first month of the school holidays were over, and the trial was looming over the Marauders and their boy. The Order meetings had been short and fleeting due to lack of a headquarters, and despite Sirius's strong desire to avoid his ancestral home, he knew that his duties to the Light had to come first - besides, it was rather amusing for Sirius to picture his mother's face if she knew that her beloved Grimmauld Place was being turned into a home for Albus Dumbledore's anti-Voldemort army.

With that particular image in mind, Sirius agreed to let Grimmauld Place be used for Order meetings; however, to Sirius's dismay, this also required that he live in the house while it was being used over the summer. This posed a problem for Sirius - he didn't want to go back to a place that still haunted his own nightmares, and he _definitely_ didn't want his son anywhere near there. Despite this, Dumbledore insisted that the building be constantly monitored and that, due to the situation with his old family house elf, Sirius be the one to do it.

Grudgingly, Sirius accepted Albus's terms and broke the news to Harry later that week. However, neither of them had much time to dwell on what that meant for the rest of their summer.

"I know you don't want to leave here, kiddo - trust me, I don't either. I just… we have to. I have to stay at that horrid house and I need you with me. I'll break down in there without Moony and you." Sirius said gently, wrapping an arm around his son.

Harry nodded against Sirius and hugged him back. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for, you know."

Sirius laughed a short, bitter laugh and shook his head. "I don't deserve a son like you. You always see the best in people, even when they're arrogant, selfish berks like I am."

Harry shook his head and hugged his father tighter - ever since Dumbledore had requested that Grimmauld Place be used for Order meetings, Sirius had gotten depressed, and Harry wanted to take all the bad memories of abuse away from his dad. He knew he would probably react the same way if Dumbledore asked him to go back to the Dursley's now that he had a loving family of his own.

Sirius's breathing returned to normal, but neither of them made a move to leave the embrace; Sirius because he needed the solace from his son, and Harry because he desperately wanted his dad to be happy. However, a loud crash soon broke them from their musings.

"AURORS FROM THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC - REVEAL YOURSELVES!" A man yelled from the kitchen.

Harry looked up at Sirius, only one thought running through his head: _They're going to take him, they want my dad._

Though it made no sense why they would take Sirius, it seemed like the only plausible explanation. Sirius stood up slowly and pulled Harry up with him.

Harry immediately protested. "No, dad, let's leave, I don't want them to take you-"

"Neither of us, nor Remus, have done anything wrong. Don't worry, it will only make it worse if we try and escape." Sirius said gently, pulling Harry forward toward the voices.

Harry was shaking, but he reluctantly followed his father out into the hallway.

"THERE!" A voice yelled, and Harry felt himself fall onto the harsh floor - weird, because Sirius was still kneeling beside him, yelling at the official's for hurting his son. Did they mean to stun him and not his dad?

"Harry James Potter," a deep, strict voice said. "You are under arrest for the accidental murder of Cedric Amos Diggory and knowingly using one or multiple Unforgivable Curses. You will be taken to a ministry holding cell to await your trial on August 1."

Harry felt two pairs of arms grab him roughly and lift him up, one of the hands shoving his head down to look at the floor. Sirius was screaming at this point, in a rage more powerful than Harry had ever seen. Remus had also joined and was attempting to reason with the head auror as Harry was lead away.

Once he realized that his anger was getting him nowhere, Sirius ran after Harry outside their house. "Wait! Can I visit him?"

"No visitors," the aurors said in unison.

"No visitors allowed for high security prisoners. You of all people should know that, Black." The head auror said, pushing Sirius away from his son.

Sirius looked panicked now. "At least let me say goodbye! Give me my baby!" He yelled, practically in hysterics and chasing the aurors again.

The head auror rolled his eyes and pushed Sirius away again. "Get ahold of yourself, Black. You'll see him at his trial." He said menacingly.

"Hey!" Remus said, coming up beside. "You're denying Harry some of his rights, he has the right to see us before you take him away!"

"Yes, and he'll get that right fulfilled after his trial next week… before we send him to Azkaban," the auror said with an evil grin. He grabbed Harry from the other two and turned him around to face his guardians, his eyes red and face wet with tears. "Say goodbye to your daddy," he whispered evilly. Then, Harry felt a rush of pain overwhelm his arm as the auror broke it, and he cried out. He watched as Sirius lunged forward at the auror, his eyes a dark grey that reminded Harry of storm clouds - then, everything was black and they were gone.

* * *

When Harry woke up again, his arm was throbbing from the pain of the break he endured earlier. He tried to sit up, only to find that he was chained to the bed in his cell and moving only jarred his hurt arm. After a moment, he found that he could move his head, and he allowed his eyes to scan the room.

It was a small cell, only slightly bigger than the cupboard he inhabited his entire childhood - he fleetingly wondered if the ministry made it that way on purpose, to try and torture the boy as much as possible.

He noticed immediately that the air surrounding him was warm, meaning that there weren't any dementor's near his cell… yet.

He looked out of the bars to try and get some indication of what time or day it was - he knew when he was taken that he had exactly a week before his trial, but he didn't think he would actually be taken into custody beforehand.

Harry laid there and tried to let sleep over come him again, but the dull throb in his head and the ache in his arm prevented him from drifting off. He thought of his dad and how angry he was when they had restrained him - Harry hated that the last time he saw his father he had been so upset. He tried to think of their happy memories from this past year, but thinking of his dad made his heart ache and brought tears to his eyes.

 _Stop._ Harry thought to himself. He needed to keep a level head to get out of this situation. He continued to sit there and brood, and after what may have been seconds or hours, it was hard to tell time there, he heard voices coming from his right.

"Ah, Mr. Harry Potter," a sickeningly familiar voice drawled from the door of his cell. "You know, about two years ago I visited your guardian from a cell similar to this. Should have known that living with an ex-convict would do this to the Golden Boy."

Harry felt white, hot anger surge through his body. "Leave my father out of this, Minister," he mumbled quietly.

"Come, Harry," Fudge said, a smirk on his features. "It's time for a pretrial interview."

* * *

"Sirius, come on, we have to leave now. Albus is ready to perform the fidelius charm on Grimmauld Place." Remus said, placing a hand on Sirius's shoulder. He was lying on his stomach on top of his bed, face buried in his pillow.

Sirius hadn't left his bedroom since they had taken Harry, leaving Remus to pack up all three of their belongings for the move. Remus had done this willingly - going back to Grimmauld Place was hard enough on Sirius, and Harry being taken was going to make it a million times worse.

"Padfoot," Remus started gently, realizing that the only way he was going to get his friend to headquarters was by dragging him. "I know you miss him so much, but he wouldn't want you to be like this, you know that. He's staying strong for you, now you need to for him. Without the headquarters, we can't fight Voldemort, and it's going to make things even more dangerous for Harry. You need to get up and keep fighting… if anything do it for your son."

Sirius laid there for a second more, then slowly lifted his head to meet his friend's gaze. His eyes were bloodshot and he had two days worth of stubble on his face.

Remus sighed. "Only five days until the trial and he'll be back with us."

Sirius didn't speak - he simply nodded and stood up to follow Remus. They flooed over to Grimmauld Place where Dumbledore was waiting for them, and Sirius went through the fidelius charm with his old headmaster, speaking only when he absolutely had to. Once it was over, Sirius went upstairs, probably to find an inhabitable room or to make his old room livable while they were there.

"He's missing Harry," Dumbledore stated quietly, turning to Remus.

Remus nodded and frowned. "He needs him. You're sure Harry won't be convicted?"

The twinkle had gone from Dumbledore's eyes, but he nodded anyway. "I have a pretty solid defense made, they shouldn't be able to convict him. On the off chance that they do, I have an escape route planned for him - I hope we won't have to use that though, because that would prevent Harry from attending school, and it is of utmost importance that he continue his education."

Remus nodded sadly, then returned his gaze toward the staircase. "I should go be with Padfoot, I don't want him alone right now, especially here. When will the Weasley's arrive? And Mrs. Grainger?"

"They should be moving in tomorrow. Molly has offered to help clean the house with her kids so we can have the first official order meeting after Harry returns home. Now, I would rather Harry not be involved in these meetings and I would prefer him not know everything but… I think it would be foolish of me to keep him in the dark for the sake of preserving a childhood that was striped from him. For that reason, Sirius and you may decide what you want to tell him about the Order Meetings and Voldemort. I do suggest, however, that if you tell him about the meetings, we also set up occlumency lessons with Professor Snape." Dumbledore said.

Remus nodded. "Harry and Sirius won't like that, but I personally think Harry deserves to know what's happening, so it will probably be our only option. Thank you, Professor."

Dumbledore nodded and flooed back to Hogwarts, leaving the two Marauders alone.

* * *

"Admit it! You-Know-Who has _not_ returned," a shrill voice spoke in Harry's ear. Harry was panting hard, and wasn't even sure he would be able to speak to the voice to insist, again, that Voldemort had indeed returned.

 _You can't let them get to you,_ Harry reminded himself. He looked around at the three faces towering above him. The Minister was there, as he had been the past four days, and so was an auror - this one was different than the ones that had arrested him, though. This one seemed kind, and he helped Harry up everyday when Harry didn't have the strength to do so himself. He was tall, had very dark skin, and Fudge had called him "Shacklebolt." Harry would need to remember to thank him if he was ever released from the Ministry's clutches.

The final person was a toad-like lady dressed all in pink - she was Harry's least favorite. She was the one that put him through the daily torture and insisted to him that Voldemort was still dead. He had heard Fudge call her Umbridge, and Harry recognized the name as the instructor who would be replacing Remus at Hogwarts - this made Harry hate her even more.

"Dolores," Shacklebolt said wearily, looking down at Harry. "We aren't getting anywhere, let's just leave him be until the trial, it's only two days away."

"No! He will not perform blasphemy against the Ministry and walk away unpunished! _Crucio!_ " Umbridge shouted, causing a hot flash of pain to shoot up Harry's spine and burn his nerve endings.

Harry could feel his resolve breaking - of course, he would never admit the things they wanted him to, but he knew he couldn't endure this forever. Finally, the curse was lifted, and Shacklebolt carried Harry back to his small cell to await August first. When Harry laid down, he allowed Shacklebolt to chain him back to his small bed, and he tried to pretend that the cold, hard chains were his dad's arms, wrapping him in a hug. It was far-fetched, but it was the only memory he could latch onto as the dementor's closed in around the door to his cell, and the familiar cold crept up his spine.

* * *

"They use the cruciatus curse on him everyday, it's horrible to watch." Kingsley Shacklebolt relayed to the Order members currently at Grimmauld Place. The children had already been sent up to bed by Molly, leaving Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, Molly and Arthur, McGonagall, Tonks, and Moody downstairs in the basement kitchen.

"He's been very strong and adamant, hasn't told them a thing. I think I've convinced Umbridge to hold off on him until the trial, so he should have a quiet day tomorrow… they've brought in dementor's though, I'm not sure he'll be the same once he gets out of there."

Molly had tears in her eyes and Sirius had his face buried in his hands.

"Tomorrow's his birthday…" Sirius mumbled after a moment of silence. "They really won't let me go see him?"

Shacklebolt looked at Sirius for a long minute and then sighed. "I can sneak you in there, Sirius, but I don't know if it will be a good idea. If you're caught, it's going to pose major problems for us at the Order. They'll want to know how you got in and then we may not have Order members in the Ministry anymore… not to mention, you could be arrested again."

"It's worth it," McGonagall said. Sirius turned to look at her with shock. Minerva McGonagall breaking the rules? Never.

"Minerva," Dumbledore started, walking over to his colleague.

"No, Albus. Sirius needs Harry and if Harry wants to win this trial, he needs to see his father. Kingsley, take him to visit Harry tomorrow. I don't care how you do it, just make sure it gets done and Sirius gets out of there without being caught." McGonagall said, an air of finality in her voice.

Kingsley nodded and then turned to Sirius. "We'll leave early tomorrow - if they were to do rounds, it would be in the afternoon. I'll give you two hours with him, sound good?"

Sirius nodded gratefully. "Thank you so much, Kingsley."

"Don't mention it - just be ready by eight in the morning tomorrow." Kingsley said before flooing out of Grimmauld Place.

* * *

"Alright, Sirius." Kingsley said once they were on the elevator in the Ministry of Magic. "I'm taking you to the holding cells where they're keeping Harry. They've retired the dementor's for right now because I offered to guard his cell until the trial starts, so as long as I'm down there you two shouldn't be interrupted. You have until eleven to see him - I would go ahead and put on that invisibility cloak."

Sirius nodded and followed Kingsley's orders by throwing Harry's invisibility cloak over his shoulders. When they reached the holding cells, Kingsley stepped out first, followed closely behind by Sirius. The area was dark and dank, and the air still felt cold from where the dementor's had been a few hours ago. Most of the cells here were empty; it was clear the Minister hadn't taken Dumbledore's advice to put some of his employees on wait for trial. They walked to the very end of the room, where they approached the smallest cell Sirius had ever seen - it didn't even have bars, just a small door with a window barely big enough to look inside.

"Harry," Kingsley said gently, easing the cell door open. Harry immediately tensed - sure, he liked Kingsley, but his presence typically meant that Umbridge wanted to torture him. Kingsley stepped into the cell, but he didn't look apprehensive or sad like he normally did when retrieving him. "I'm going to undo your chains for a couple of hours - don't mention this to the Minister, okay?"

Harry nodded and allowed Kingsley to release him; however, he remained lying on his bed afterward. There wasn't a lot of room in the cell to move around, even if he wanted to.

"I've brought someone," Kingsley said with a whisper. "If the Minister finds out, I lose my job, and The Order and you two will be in grave danger. Keep quiet, both of you."

Harry raised his eyebrows but nodded nonetheless, and then attempted to sit up. He winced at his sore muscles and hurt arm as Kingsley shut the cell door. "Kingsley?" Harry whispered uncertainly. Where was the visitor? "Hello? Anybody?"

"Harry," a familiar voice to his right whispered. Harry practically jumped off his bed, but once he registered the voice, a small smile came over his features.

"Dad?" Harry said, reaching towards the voice. Sirius pulled off the cloak and set it on the ground, then gently leaned forward to hug his son. "Happy birthday, kiddo." Sirius whispered against Harry's black mop of hair.

Harry started whimpering against Sirius's chest and Sirius stroked his hair soothingly. "Shh, baby, it's okay. I'll get you out of here soon."

The two stayed like that for the first thirty minutes of Sirius's visit, and when they broke apart, Sirius still didn't let go of his son, keeping an arm around him securely. Sirius caught Harry up on Order happenings and told him what he knew about Voldemort.

"We'll tell you more once you're back at home with us, there's a lot we need to discuss. I'm just… so sorry, Harry. I would have flooed you straight to Grimmauld Place last week if I had thought the Ministry was there to arrest you. I was stupid, and now you've been tortured for days." Sirius mumbled, pulling Harry against him again. He knew their time was almost up and that he would have to leave soon. The knowledge that Harry would be back at home tomorrow made leaving his son now almost bearable.

"If I didn't go with them then, they would have made the trial worse," Harry said quietly, pressing his face into the crook of Sirius's neck. "Dad… what if they don't let me go?"

Sirius placed a hand on the back of Harry's head and held him there. "They will, and if they don't, Dumbledore's got a plan. If for some reason Dumbledore's plan doesn't work, then I've got another plan. You _won't_ go to Azkaban. Now, Harry-" Sirius said, gently placing his hands on Harry's shoulders and pulling him back to look at him. "I have to leave. If I could stay with you all night, I would, but they won't allow me to do that. I want you to continue to be strong and defiant, like the good Marauder you are, okay puppy? Give 'em hell. I'm proud of you and I love you so much."

Sirius pulled Harry into one last, strong embrace and kissed his temple. He rubbed Harry's back gently for about five minutes, until he heard Kingsley cough, signaling that the visit was over. "I'll see you first thing tomorrow, pup."

"Don't leave me, dad," Harry whimpered, tightening his grip against his father.

Sirius looked to the door of the cell, where Kingsley was peering inside - now Kingsley did look sad, but he beckoned Sirius over nonetheless. "Puppy, I have to go. I'm not leaving you, though. The ones that love us never really leave us, remember? And you'll see me again early tomorrow morning. You can do it, you're so strong." Sirius kissed the top of his head one last time, and in one swift movement, he pulled away from Harry and threw the invisibility cloak over him, then walked out of the cell, in what was probably one of the hardest moments of his life.


	37. Grimmauld Place

A/N: I know this may seem like a Molly Weasley bashing fic, but it's not. I like Mrs. Weasley a lot in canon - I do think she's a bit hard on Sirius in OotP, but he's my favorite character so that might also be why. This was me trying to mimic that part in the book, but changing it to my own uses for the plot line. I personally have always interpreted Molly as an overprotective, but loving, mother, and I think this shows her struggle in possibly having to "give-up" a child she considered to be like a son, for his own good. In canon, I don't really think Sirius and her hated each other, and I'm not going to make them hate each other in my story either. They'll butt heads, but in the end, they're on the same team and it's going to stay that way. Remember to review, and enjoy!

After a hard night alone for both Harry and Sirius, the day of the trial had finally arrived. Harry was removed from his cell and allowed to shower for the first time in a week, and was delivered some of his nicer clothes from home. With the clothes came notes from his friends, some Order members, and his guardians. Ron and Hermione's notes were short and sweet, and Harry had the idea that Mrs. Weasley hadn't told them the extent of what Harry had been through in the past week.

Sirius and Remus's notes were much longer and full of encouragement for the day ahead - things like _I can't wait to see you_ and _everything will be okay_ adorned the papers and filled Harry with a warmth he hadn't felt since being taken away from his home. Sirius's letter included a heavy threat towards the ministry that Harry had no doubt he would carry out once the trial was over; being heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black had it's political perks, after all.

Finally, a note from Dumbledore explained his plans for defense during the trial and, if the result wasn't in Harry's favor, an escape plan back to Grimmauld Place.

Once Harry had gotten dressed, he was led down to the judge's chamber and chained to a chair in the middle of the courtroom. Harry was facing five rows that contained at least eighty chairs - the members of the Wizengamot had already been seated and many were looking at him angrily. He attempted to turn around and see who else had attended his trial. The chains prevented him from viewing the entire room, but he did get a glimpse of his father and Remus to his right - both gave him smiles and thumbs up.

One thing that concerned Harry was that Dumbledore did not appear to be in the room; the trial would be starting soon, and Harry knew he didn't stand a chance without his headmaster.

"Harry James Potter," Fudge started, giving Harry a disapproving look. "You're here to be tried for the accidental murder of Cedric Amos Diggory, as well as the use of the Unforgivable Curses. Who is your defense?"

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," a voice from behind Harry announced. The billowing blue robes passed to Harry's right and he couldn't help but smile a little - his saving grace had arrived.

"Ah, yes. Albus, I see you got our note that the time had been changed." Fudge said menacingly.

"Actually, I didn't, but by some happy mistake, I was at the Ministry three hours early." Dumbledore said with a shrug, moving to stand beside Harry.

"Okay, yes well. The evidence against Harry is abundant, so I think perhaps we should take a vote-" Fudge started, but he was cut off by Dumbledore.

"Actually, Minister, I insist that we try Harry under veritaserum. I know that it is not allowed to be used on minors, but from what I have discovered of Harry's treatment this past week, it seems that many laws concerning the trial and punishment of underage wizards have been neglected. If he agrees, you will be allowed to ask him whatever questions you please." Dumbledore said, turning to face Harry.

Fudge hesitated for a moment. "Now Dumbledore, I don't think that will be necessary."

"If you are so sure that Harry is guilty, it would not hurt to take this extra precaution; it would simply verify what you already believe. After all, the Ministry has just acknowledged that Mr. Black was imprisoned unjustly for twelve years - would you want to make that same mistake again?" Dumbledore asked, raising his eyebrows.

Fudge looked thoroughly put out, but agreed nonetheless. "Mr. Potter, do you consent to questioning under veritaserum?"

Harry nodded and looked to Dumbledore as he retrieved a vial from his robes. "Here you are, Harry." Dumbledore poured the vial down Harry's throat and Harry's eyes immediately glazed over, signifying that the potion had worked correctly.

"Are you Harry James Potter?" Fudge asked him.

Harry nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Is your birthday July 31, 1980?"

Another nod.

"How long have you been living with your godfather?"

"A year exactly from yesterday."

"Did the Triwizard Cup transport you somewhere other than Hogwarts?"

"Yes, a graveyard."

"Did you kill Cedric Diggory in that graveyard?"

"No, Peter Pettigrew did on Lord Voldemort's orders."

Gasps were heard around the room and Fudge turned a horrid shade of red. Sirius was beginning to see Dumbledore's second purpose for this trial - to prove to Fudge that Voldemort had returned.

"ENOUGH." Fudge said, standing from his seat. "Dumbledore, I don't know what game you're playing-"

"No game," Dumbledore said, approaching Fudge's chair. "Cornelius, I implore you to see reason. You just heard it from Harry Potter under veritaserum - Voldemort has returned."

Fudge spluttered and shook his head. "He is not back. I don't know what you put in that veritaserum, but I won't believe it until I see him with my own eyes."

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I worry that by then it will be far too late; but we have digressed. For the case of Harry Potter - I have watched this boy since he was eleven and, though he has not always followed the school rules perfectly, he is innately good, with a heart of gold and a sharp mind. I don't believe, regardless of whether or not it was an accident, that Harry would ever harm a fellow student. You have heard it from him under veritaserum - he is innocent. Now I will allow you take a vote; please remember, the last corrupt ministry placed an innocent Sirius Black in Azkaban to rot for twelve years. Don't allow that to become of his godson as well. Make your choice wisely."

Fudge still looked angry at Dumbledore running his courtroom, but he turned to Amelia Bones nonetheless. "Well, let's call a vote then, shall we?"

Amelia nodded. "All who find Harry James Potter guilty?"

Very few people raised their hands, to Harry's relief - of the small number, Umbridge and Fudge were both included.

"Harry Potter, you are cleared of all charges," Amelia Bones said with a small smile. Fudge looked angry, but Harry didn't take the time to consider his expression. Once the chains fell off of him, he got up and turned toward Dumbledore, who was promptly leaving the building. Before he could chase him, however, Sirius was at his side, hugging him close.

"Dad," Harry mumbled, wrapping his arms around Sirius and pressing his face into his shoulder. Sirius placed a hand on the back of Harry's head and stroked his hair comfortingly.

"I'm going to kill them all," Sirius said, his voice low with suppressed anger.

"Can we go home?" Harry asked quietly, wanting to get as far away from this awful place as possible.

As if coming to his senses, Sirius nodded. "Of course, let's get out of here. I can plot my revenge later."

"The lifts are this way," Remus said, placing a hand on Sirius's shoulder. The three made their way through the Ministry, Harry keeping his head down to avoid the press waiting for him outside. Once they reached the main atrium, they flooed back to Grimmauld Place.

Harry was shocked when he arrived at his Godfather's family home to find the entire Weasley clan waiting for him; however, Harry's long stay in a dark cell with only dementor's for company took a toll on him. He flinched at the loud sounds of welcome that he normally embraced, and cringed away from Mrs. Weasley and Hermione's hugs. Sirius and Remus noticed this immediately - Remus swiftly led Harry upstairs while Sirius yelled at them for overwhelming him.

"And how come you're allowed to see him and we're not?" Mrs. Weasley yelled in retaliation.

Sirius, who was already angry at the Ministry, turned to glare at the Weasley matriarch. "You all can see him, but in small amounts of time with less of you around him. You don't know what it's like to be locked up in a small cell and then suddenly be released back into the world. It's not an easy transition, he needs his space. As to why I can see him now, that would be because I'm his bloody guardian."

"Yes, well perhaps the Ministry _did_ make a mistake with that choice. He deserves a parent's comfort, not whatever you have planned for him!" Mrs. Weasley said, crossing her arms. The other Weasley children, though upset at the prospect of not seeing Harry for a few more days, looked back and forth between their angry mother and a livid Sirius with confusion.

Sirius growled low in his throat, not unlike what his animagus alter-ego would do, but he was interrupted by Remus before he could say anything else.

"Sirius, Harry wants you. I've put him in your room for the time being." Remus said, taking in the situation in front of him.

Sirius nodded then looked at Mrs. Weasley one last time. "I'll bring Harry down for breakfast in the morning and we'll try this again." Sirius looked to the kids in the kitchen. "I'll let you know if he wants to talk to any of you before then, but if not, try and keep quiet in the morning until we know how Harry's going to react."

The kids all nodded and Mrs. Weasley shook her head disapprovingly, but didn't say anything else. Sirius left the room quickly and practically ran up the stairs to get to his son.

The evening continued on with Sirius telling Harry every detail from the previous Order meetings, including the contents of the prophecy that led to his parent's untimely deaths. He reached an agreement with Dumbledore that he would be allowed to do this, as long as Harry began occlumency lessons in the first term with Snape - Sirius hadn't mentioned this part to Harry yet, choosing to let him recuperate a bit before telling him about extra lessons with his least favorite professor.

Harry took the news of the prophecy fairly well, but Sirius wasn't sure if this was because he was still feeling the after-effects of being locked up with his worst memories for a week. Sirius remembered the feeling of being free from the dementor's quite well - it was a strange relief to not be plagued with the same dreadful memories for twenty four hours a day, but it also made everyday occurrences seem dull and emotionless. Harry had a glazed over look in his eye and wasn't speaking as much as he did the week before - he also constantly insisted on touching some part of his father, as if needing a reminder that he was really with him and not dreaming. Though Sirius didn't mind this, he found it odd - Harry craved affection, yes, but he often tried to hide the craving by swatting his dad away or pushing him before "grudgingly" accepting his father's love. Since coming home that morning, he welcomed Sirius's hugs, even initiated them himself multiple times; despite Sirius enjoying the closeness of his son, he was already plotting ways to destroy the Ministry for hurting his puppy so badly.

After talking for a little while longer, Harry yawned a bit.

"You've had a big day, I suspect it's time for you to go to sleep." Sirius said gently, patting Harry on the shoulder. "We set up a room for Ron and you to share, but you can stay in here tonight if you would like. This bed is bigger and it would be much more private, I can go stay in Remus's room or sleep downstairs-"

"No, stay here," Harry said suddenly, grabbing his father's arm as he went to stand up.

"Are you sure? At least let me transfigure a cot for me to sleep on, I want you to be comfortable-"

Harry cut him off again by shaking his head. "Please, Siri," he mumbled, trying to get his dad to sit back down beside him.

Sirius was now definitely beginning to worry - the few times that he had stayed with Harry during the night, Harry had been embarrassed to agree to it. Now, he was practically begging his dad to stay with him. Sirius, of course, didn't mind doing it at all, but Harry's change in personality and behavior was very concerning.

As the two settled down for a restless night, Harry lying safely under his father's arm, Sirius could only think one thing: _Fudge will pay for harming my child._

* * *

As Sirius promised had the other kids, he brought a surprisingly willing Harry down for breakfast the next morning. Rest and time with his guardian's had helped Harry tremendously, and though he was still far quieter than usual, he agreed to meet the entire Weasley family at breakfast that morning. Despite this improvement, Harry still insisted to sit between Remus and Sirius at the table, and refused to make direct eye contact when talking to his friends.

Sirius was so concerned over his son's behavior, he didn't notice the change in the conversation that Harry was having with Hermione and Ron - he only realized it had turned to something unpleasant when Molly let out a yell of protest at Harry's extensive knowledge of the Order meetings. Harry practically jumped out of his seat at the sudden loud noise and Sirius went to scold her for her behavior, but she beat him to it.

"Why on Earth does the boy know so much about the Order and the prophecy, Sirius? He's not adult… he's not James!" Molly said angrily, waving her spoon in Sirius's direction.

Harry cringed - he never really thought about it that way before. Sirius was a very affectionate parent, but he also treated Harry as if he was an adult, as if he were a _friend._ Harry assumed it was just because his father thought he was mature, but could it be for a different reason?

"I know who he is, thanks Molly." Sirius said through gritted teeth. Harry looked up at him and saw his normally warm silver eyes were a stormy grey color.

"Well then, treat him like you do! Clearly you're not doing a very good job considering you seem to think-"

"Molly," Remus warned, his expression looking angry as well.

"Well he's not, Remus! I would never burden my children with the knowledge that he's given Harry at such a young age." Molly said defiantly, eyeing her children as if daring them to argue with her.

"He's not your son," Sirius said, spreading his hands on the table as if preparing to pounce.

"He's as good as! Who else has he got?" Molly said, narrowing her eyes.

"He's got me!" Sirius said, standing up quickly.

"Yes, well," Molly said, beginning to stir the pot of food she was laboring over. "It's been rather hard for you to look after him while you've been in Azkaban, hasn't it?"

This was too much for Harry - he respected and loved Mrs. Weasley, but he loved his dad so much more. He couldn't sit around and listen to her put Sirius down for things that weren't his fault. Not wanting to let his rage out at her, considering she had treated him like a son for years, he simply got up and left the room.

"Oh, Harry dear!" Molly called, putting the spoon she was stirring with down and beginning to make her way around the table towards the door.

"Don't you dare," Sirius growled, his eyes following her.

She stopped abruptly. "Pardon?"

Sirius started walking in her direction. "If you go try and speak to him now, he'll do one of two things: he will either blow up on you for asking what's wrong when he's clearly angry, or he will tell you he's fine and won't open up at all. I know him well enough, being that he's _my_ son, to know that he needs a few minutes to calm down before I go talk to him. Not you, ME."

Molly glared at him for a second and Sirius, knowing that he too needed a moment alone to calm down before he spoke to Harry, decided to end the conversation. "He's legally my son, Molly. Regardless of your own opinion of me, quit putting me down in front of him. You've got seven children of your own, let me keep my boy."

Molly shook her head, but turned back to making dinner. Sirius knew that this probably wouldn't be the last argument that they had like this, but he would address that later. Right now, he needed to go to his room for a few minutes before he spoke to Harry to collect his thoughts.

He left the kitchen and walked upstairs to the third landing, reaching the dark green door that bore the nameplate "Sirius," and opening it. He was surprised to find Harry sitting on the edge of his bed, looking out the window.

Sirius cleared his throat then walked around to the side of the bed Harry was on and sat beside him. He didn't speak, wanting Harry to initiate the conversation since he had come to his room instead of his own.

"She's not being fair to you," Harry finally spoke, looking up at Sirius.

Sirius chuckled and shook his head, "Most people aren't."

Harry frowned and looked back at his lap. Sirius recognized that something beyond Molly's words was bothering his son, so he grabbed Harry's chin and gently prodded it upwards to meet his eyes. "Something else is bothering you. What's wrong puppy?"

Harry sighed and attempted to look away, but Sirius's light grasp on his chin prevented that. Harry bit his bottom lip, but then finally mustered up the courage and spoke. "You must miss my dad a lot."

Sirius was confused for a moment, before he remembered Molly's words. "Ah. Yes, Harry, it's been fourteen years and not a day goes by that I don't miss your dad. I still grieve for him because he is no longer on this Earth; however, I love and take care of you because of a promise I made him months before you were even born, when he first asked me to be your godfather. Within that promise, I decided I was going to love you as if you were my own. That's who you are to me puppy: Harry James Potter, my godson, my son, and one of the most brilliant people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I don't see you as James or think of you like that."

"Really?" Harry asked, relief sweeping through his features.

"Oh yeah," Sirius said with a smirk. "I never would tuck James into bed or kiss his head when he was upset and I _definitely_ never changed his nappies when he was little… I changed your's though, and they were vile. Who knew a one year old could make such a-"

"Okay, I get it!" Harry rolled his eyes but he had to bite his lip to keep from smiling.

Sirius put his arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him closer, kissing the top of his head. "Really, if anything, you're personality is like Lily's. You're kind, caring, and innately good. You're humble and you wouldn't even dream of bullying or picking on someone. You may look like your father, but you act like your mother - you even have her temper! Although Moony claims that's gotten worse since you started living with me, so maybe you actually picked up on my temper…"

Harry rolled his eyes again, and placed his head on his father's shoulder. "Mrs. Weasley really wasn't fair to you about Azkaban though. You couldn't help that; and besides, you've already given me the best year of my life since being out. As much as I appreciate her and what she's done for me, I'll never see her like my parent… I can't. That's Ron's family, not mine. _You're_ my family."

Sirius didn't comment, but pulled Harry closer and rested his chin on top of the thick, black hair. After a comfortable silence, he finally spoke again. "Listen puppy, don't worry about what she says to me. You handled it well today, just leave the room if you think you're getting too angry. She has done a lot for you in the past and I don't want anything to come between Ron and you because of me. After all, she's not going to stop putting me down; our personalities don't click and she doesn't agree with me about my parenting techniques. Just try and ignore it, and know that I love you so much, okay?"

Harry burrowed deeper into his father's embrace and mumbled, "I love you too, dad."

The two stayed like that for a long time, not noticing the pairs of eyes watching them in admiration and slight jealousy.

* * *

"Molly," Remus started once Sirius left the kitchen. "That was completely unnecessary."

Molly turned to Remus, but didn't say anything.

"I think you did more damage to Harry just now than Sirius ever has by telling him about Voldemort. Harry adores Sirius - he's never known a parent and grew up in an abusive and neglectful home. He finally gets someone to call 'dad,' and you go and give the idea that Sirius only cares for him because of James. That's not fair to Sirius or Harry and you know it."

Molly bristled and shook her head. "Harry is fifteen years old, Sirius acts as if he's got his best friend back!"

"No," Remus said gently, but firmly. "He doesn't. Maybe around the kids and you, but you don't see them when Sirius tucks Harry in at night, or when he hugs him after a bad nightmare involving the tournament. You don't see him when Harry's been injured, you don't see how much he worries himself sick about his _son._ Or how about when Harry gets himself into trouble? You don't see Sirius discipline him. You didn't watch Sirius agonize this past week while Harry was locked away, blaming himself. You didn't see Sirius run to Harry yesterday when they announced that Harry was cleared of all charges. You didn't hear Harry beg for his dad when he got here yesterday. But me? I've seen and heard all of it. I've also seen Sirius and James together, and I can tell the difference between parental love and affection, and brotherhood. Sirius was James's brother, but now he's Harry's parent. Just because they get along well and are happy together does not mean Sirius is looking for a James replacement. You owe him an apology for that."

Molly pursed her lips, but didn't speak.

Remus sighed. "Do I need to lay it all out for you?" When Molly didn't respond, he shook his head. "Follow me," he commanded, walking out of the kitchen. He waited outside the door to ensure Molly was going to follow him without her children, then made his way towards the staircase.

Remus quietly stopped outside of Sirius's cracked door and beckoned Molly over. "See, look at them. Does that look like friends to you? I wouldn't kiss Sirius on the forehead the way he just did to Harry, personally, and I do consider him to be my best friend."

Molly looked sadly at the two, but Remus noticed a slight bit of resentment in her eyes. Remus sighed - it probably was hard for Molly to see that Sirius was what Harry wanted as a full-time parent, despite all the time she had spent taking care of him in the past.

"Molly, Harry cares a lot about your family and you, but he also loves Sirius deeply. He already has Snape insulting James at every turn, don't demean the only dad he has ever known right in front of him. Sirius and you can work out your differences when the kids return to school, okay?" Lupin said gently, moving away from Sirius's open door.

Molly took one last look at the two before nodding slowly. "Tell them whenever they're ready that we're going to start cleaning the sitting room, Harry is welcome to sit with us, but I don't want him to spend his time cleaning today, especially after all he's been through."

Remus nodded and smiled slightly at her parental nature - the woman would never learn. "I'll leave that up to Harry. Thanks Molly."

 **** **Remus watched her walk back down the stairs to the kitchen before turning back to Sirius's door. He wasn't surprised to see Harry still being embraced by his dad; Sirius, on the other hand, was staring at Remus, a small smirk playing on his features. Remus shook his head at his friend, then slowly moved inside to join his small family. Harry may not be the same for a while, but they were finally all together, and the three of them could make it through anything the war threw at them - they were living proof of that.**


	38. You're Not Alone

A/N: The fifth book was very interesting to me in terms of Sirius and Harry's relationship, as well as Sirius's characterization and flaws. I'm going to touch on a lot of those themes in this fanfiction, one of them being how negatively Sirius is affected by Grimmauld Place, and how that affects his godson. Though we don't get much of Sirius's childhood in the books, I've come up with a back-story of my own to explain why I believe Sirius despised his family home so much. This (short) chapter is the start of that: Enjoy!

Life at Grimmauld Place was completely different than life at Hogwarts or the Marauder's Mansion; most of the days were spent cleaning up the house to make it inhabitable. Harry was slowly going back to his normal self, but often strayed off to his father's room if the loud noises throughout the house became overwhelming. Despite this, Harry was thoroughly enjoying spending time with all of his favorite people everyday.

Sirius, on the other hand, was less than happy about his living situation; being stuck in the house of his childhood abuse was taking a toll on him, and he often left the house for hours at a time during the day to get away from the overwhelming memories that had begun haunting his nightmares.

Harry noticed this almost immediately - he often found refuge in his father, and Sirius leaving the house every day began to worry him. After a couple of weeks of Harry watching his father leave after breakfast and return hours later for dinner, smelling of firewhiskey, he decided to discuss it.

That night, after all the kids had gone to bed, Harry snuck into his dad's room to wait for him to come upstairs; he felt like he barely spent time with him anymore, and he was beginning to worry that being in his childhood home was wearing Sirius down.

He heard the door open as Sirius walked in, and then it was quiet for a moment; Harry suspected Sirius was surprised to see him sitting on his bed and not tucked away in his room where he had left him.

"Pup?" Sirius asked, his voice gentle.

Harry looked up at him and tried to make his facial expression mimic the one of concern that his father wore. "Dad?"

Sirius smirked. "Can I help you, Mr. Potter? I'm trying to go to sleep and-" Sirius plopped down on the bed beside his son and threw an arm over his shoulders, "seeing as you're taking up my bed, it's going to make it quite difficult for me."

Harry smiled despite himself and leaned into him. "What's wrong, dad?"

Sirius was taken aback. "What do you mean? You're the one that came to _my_ room." Sirius said, poking Harry once in the ribs. "I should be asking you that question."

Harry shook his head. "I'm pretty content here - my friends are here and I'm living with my father. But I didn't grow up here and…" Harry trailed off and Sirius immediately knew what his son was implying. With a sigh, Sirius removed his arm from around Harry and Harry frowned. His dad had never denied him affection and his change in demeanor bothered him greatly.

"Puppy, I appreciate the concern, but don't worry about me. I'll be okay… you go get some sleep." Sirius said quietly, though his eyes were looking away and he was turning to leave the bed and go somewhere else.

"No, dad-" Harry said quickly, grabbing Sirius's arm. Sirius turned to him, his facial expression one of surprise and slight hurt. "You leave every day, I see that you're hurting and you hate it here. I-I want to help. Please let me, Siri."

Sirius's anguished expression softened slightly and he sat down again on the bed, but made no move to get close to Harry. "Kiddo, it's not your job-"

"Why can't it be? You've helped me so much, Sirius, it's my turn. I thought we told each other everything?" Harry said, scooting closer to his father.

"We do, I already told you about my family last year, remember? It's not a topic I really want to talk about often…" Sirius mumbled, looking down.

Harry grabbed Sirius hand and squeezed it before placing his head on his shoulder. They sat in silence for some time before Sirius finally, quietly spoke. "The reason I don't cook here is because my parent's used to lock me in the kitchen cupboard - similar to what the Dursley's did to you. Only… there was a banshee or a boggart they often left in the cupboard and I was wandless and… and… " Sirius trailed off and shivered, as if remembering bad memories.

Harry squeezed his father's hand again and waited. He didn't want to make Sirius talk about his bad memories, but he did want him to feel better and enjoy the rest of the summer. The best way for that would be for him to face his demons.

"I avoid the drawing room as much as possible too - it has the family tapestry for one thing, and I have no desire to remind myself that I got burned off of it… but also, if you look on that old rug in there, you'll see a small dried blood stain. I won't give you details, but that was my blood from when they…" Sirius took a deep breath and tried to steady his shaking hands - Harry held on tight to the one intertwined with his hand. "I told you I ran away to live with your dad right? That stain is from the day I ran away."

They sat in silence again for a few minutes, but this time Harry broke it. "You really hate it here, don't you Siri?"

"I despise it." Sirius mumbled, sounding uncharacteristically bitter.

"I just… I miss you." Harry mumbled, looking away. He was feeling torn - he didn't want to ask his father to stay in a house he hated more often than necessary just to keep him company, but he also didn't want to spend the entire summer only seeing him at meals. He had never had a father, and he didn't want to lose him so quickly.

"Then I'll stay here," Sirius said quickly, looking down at Harry with sincerity in his eyes.

"Can't I go out with you?" Harry asked hopefully.

"You know you can't puppy," Sirius said sadly. "It's not safe with Voldemort after you, even if I'm with you. If they outnumber us in an attack, you'd be gone for sure. I won't take that risk with you."

"My dad and you took that risk when you were my age," Harry said, looking down angrily. It wasn't fair for Sirius to tell Harry not to be rash when Sirius was twice as bad as a child.

"And Mr. Potter tanned both of our hides afterward; I don't want to have to do that to you. Besides, it was different… James nor I had a huge price on our head in Voldemort's eyes, not then at least. You, on the other hand… he'd do anything to get to you. I won't lose you," Sirius said fiercely, pulling Harry into a tight hug. "So, the only option I see is for me to stay here. Okay?"

Harry was hesitant to agree - the pain and hollowness in Sirius's eyes at the thought of being trapped in Grimmauld Place was evident. "No, dad. Forget I said anything."

"What's the matter? I want to spend time with you too and the only way we can do that-"

"We eat dinner together and hang out at night, it's alright." Harry said pulling out of the hug and looking down. "I can't condemn you to stay here. It'd be like you asking me to stay at Privet Drive with you. I would do it, but I'd hate every minute of being there."

Sirius smiled sadly. "This is rubbish."

Harry nodded his agreement.

"Well, I've got to go to Diagon Alley to purchase some stuff tomorrow anyway - I've kind of just been stalling time the past few weeks that I've been going out. After tomorrow though, I'll limit my excursions to once a week and if that becomes unbearable, you'll be the first I talk to, okay pup?" Sirius said, ruffling Harry's hair.

Harry smiled and shook his head. "I don't want you to be here more than you have to be… I don't want to be a burden."

"Harry, you'd never be a burden. Besides, you make this hell hole bearable. We'll have fun this week here, and I'll avoid the rooms that bring back the worst memories, okay? If things get too bad you and I can talk about the options, but I'm going to spend as much time with my boy as possible. I'm sorry if I made you feel alone this week." Sirius pulled Harry back into a hug and the two stayed like that until Sirius reluctantly sent Harry back to bed in his room to get some sleep.

* * *

"Here, puppy." Sirius said the following afternoon, walking into Harry and Ron's shared room and dumping three bags of clothes on the floor. "New from Diagon Alley - I think I got everything except formal robes since you bought those last year. Get rid of the old clothes that don't fit you anymore and bring them downstairs when you get a chance."

Both Harry and Ron sat gaping in front of their game of Wizard's Chess. "Dad, you didn't have to buy me all that! You just bought me clothes last year when I left the Dursley's."

Sirius sat down beside Harry and smirked. "Yes, I did, but in case you haven't noticed, you've grown about four inches taller and I think I've managed to fatten you up a bit. See, look… your pants are way too short and that shirt's just out of style." Sirius poked Harry's ribcage and Harry pushed back at him with a smile.

Sirius stood up and ruffled Harry's hair. "Go through your old stuff and bring it downstairs to me sometime tonight, okay?"

Harry nodded and smiled at his father's retreating figure; Ron, on the other hand, looked slightly jealous at Harry's new wardrobe. "Must be nice to have a filthy rich godfather." He mumbled, standing up and walking over to his bed.

"What?" Harry asked, taken aback.

"You know - sweets whenever you want them, new clothes instead of hand-me-downs… a Firebolt, for crying out loud!" Ron exclaimed, flopping down on his bed.

Harry sat for a moment in shock. "W-well, I mean, it does sound great and all, and I'm really grateful that he gives me so much, but honestly, we could be living in a cave for all I care… really." He added the last part at Ron's speculative glance.

"Sure… you don't know what it's like, always wearing your brother's old clothes, only getting sweets on special occasions." Ron mumbled, looking away angrily.

Harry felt his face fluster - he knew Ron got slightly jealous over money, and he had been very careful for four years not to flaunt his family's small fortune in front of his best mate; however, he felt this was going too far.

"Really, Ron? I've told you about _my_ childhood. I didn't have parents, or any guardian that loved me like you had. Not to mention, I hadn't even tasted chocolate before I got on the Hogwarts Express - I was lucky if I got a decent meal as a kid, much less sweets. I wore Dudley's hand-me-downs my entire life, and trust me, they didn't fit nearly as well on me as Percy's old jumper fits on you! The only reason Sirius gives me all this stuff is because he realizes how bad my relatives treated me." Harry huffed and went over to the first bag to see what Sirius had bought for him, moreso as an excuse not to look at Ron.

"Mate," Ron mumbled sheepishly. "I'm sorry… Sirius and you get along so well, sometimes I forget that you haven't been with him for your entire life. I didn't mean that, it's just… hard…"

He trailed off and Harry nodded. "Forget about it, I understand."

Ron shook his head. "Blimey, I'm an oaf."

"No kidding," Harry said, grinning at his friend. Ron threw a pillow at his head, and just like that, the argument was forgotten - though Harry did not miss the longing glances Ron occasionally shot the pile of clothes that Harry was hanging in his wardrobe. Harry resolved to occasionally buy Ron a new shirt or jumper and place it somewhere he would "find" it throughout the year, if only to give Ron something nice to brag about.


	39. Justice

A/N: It was brought to my attention that Harry's charge of "Accidental Murder" makes no sense, since murder is usually meant as "intentional." I plan to go back and change this charge to involuntary manslaughter. Regardless, we're now past that. Sorry I haven't written in so long, the holidays have been very busy. This is a shorter chapter, but it should explain a lot of things from the last few chapters. With that, I am working on another story about a younger Harry and Sirius, just because I've been interested in writing about that for a while. Go check it out on my author's page and review it, as well as this one! Thanks, enjoy!

A few mornings later, the group was eating breakfast in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, when the floo turned green and the headmaster stepped through.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Molly exclaimed, standing up. "Please, do come in."

"Ah, that won't be necessary, Molly, but thank you. I'm here to deliver some very good news, and request that the children join us for a spontaneous Order meeting. I'm sorry for the lack of notice." Dumbledore said kindly, motioning for her to sit back down.

Molly eyed the children wearily, but sat down nonetheless. Dumbledore strode to the front of the kitchen, where every eye was now watching him carefully.

"Fudge is no longer the Minister for Magic," Dumbledore said, almost reverently.

The effect was instantaneous: Remus and Sirius both looked ecstatic, Molly shocked, and the children, knowing what he had done to Harry, were grinning excitedly.

"Once Harry was acquitted, Kingsley was able to use his memories of Harry's imprisonment to show Fudge as both cruel and daft. Both Umbridge and him will spend a lifetime in Azkaban prison for their terrible and inhumane treatment of Harry." With this last statement, Dumbledore's eyes lost their twinkle, and his expression turned forlorn. "I will discuss what this means for the Order and the war in a moment, but for now, I must address Harry." Dumbledore moved around the table so he was directly in front of Harry, and pierced him with a blue stare. "I would like to apologize profusely for what I allowed you to go through a few weeks ago. I allowed you to be locked up and tortured everyday for the sake of…" Dumbledore paused and closed his eyes before speaking again. "For… the sake of the greater good. I knew that you had to go through the trial with veritaserum in order for the public to believe that Voldemort had returned, but I had no idea that Fudge would go to such lengths to detain and harm you. If I had realized the Ministry was coming to get you a week before the trial, I would have sent you to Grimmauld Place and escorted you myself on the day of the trial. Even when we discovered what they were doing to you, I allowed them to continue, hoping that your abundant strength and courage would persevere long enough for the trial to occur and us to get justice. I know my apologies aren't nearly enough to satisfy the pain and humiliation you have gone through, but I hope one day, you can forgive an old man's mistakes. Your father and Remus have… expressed their distaste with my choice, and I myself found it hard to face you after the trial knowing all that I have put you through during your short life. With that, I want you to know that I admire your abundant courage and feel very confidant in your abilities for the future… and I am so sorry. "

Harry's head was spinning at all the new information, and a newfound anger towards the headmaster was bubbling up; he had been played for the Order's uses. Despite this, he nodded at him so that the meeting could continue. He knew Dumbledore's reasoning was important and knew that he felt remorseful for the way the trial had turned out; however, looking over at Sirius, Harry saw that his father too felt the same anger and resentment towards the headmaster. He would need to keep an eye on Sirius for a few weeks to make sure his dad didn't do anything reckless towards the headmaster, despite whether Harry thought it might be deserved - although a purple beard surely wouldn't do too much damage.

"I am sure you all are wondering what this means for us - it means that we can recruit more wizards for the Order, we will have the Ministry backing us with support and aurors, and we can send out information to wizarding families across Europe about how to avoid the darkness that is arising. I have new tasks for each of you, including our students here." Dumbledore paused and looked at Harry again. "I will give each of you your assignments before we leave here so that you can go ahead and get started. Harry, I would like you, along with your friends, to create a defense club at Hogwarts. You have shown a strong aptitude for the subject, and I think other houses will be able to learn a lot from you. It would also encourage inter-house cooperation at Hogwarts, which is something we haven't seen since the founders started the school. Do you accept?"

Harry nodded and felt Sirius clap his shoulder. He looked to his right and saw the pride on his father and Remus's faces, and couldn't help but smile back at them.

"Good," Dumbledore said, the twinkle returning to his eyes. "I will allow you to get to planning then, I am sure Mrs. Granger and the Weasley children will help you abundantly. Now, for the rest of you, I will be owling out your missions for the remaining part of the holidays." Dumbledore made to leave, but then stopped right before the floo and looked back. "Also, Remus, now that Umbridge won't be coming to Hogwarts after all, I request that you return with Sirius and teach your old post, if you will?"

Harry beamed at Remus and Remus nodded. "Of course, Dumbledore. Thank you."

With one more nod, Dumbledore flooed out of Grimmauld Place and left everyone to consider the meaning of the news he brought.

"Wow mate, can you believe it?" Ron exclaimed towards Harry, eyes lighting up with excitement. "Our first Order mission."

"Yeah," Harry said, still bewildered. "Yeah, pretty cool."

"Oh, Harry, come on!" Hermione said, grabbing Harry's hand and pulling him out of his seat. "We need to start planning ways to announce the club at Hogwarts, and you need to decide what you want the first lesson to be. Let's go!"

Harry and the rest of the Weasley children followed Hermione out of the kitchen to begin planning their mission.

* * *

"Do you really have to go, Moony?" Sirius asked sadly, looking up at his old friend.

"You know we need all the allies we can get, and if I'm returning to Hogwarts after all, I need to do this mission now." Remus said, sounding resigned.

Sirius sighed and stood once Remus had finished packing his things. "Don't let those werewolves get the best of you - you're a good man, you hear me? A man, not a monster." Remus hugged his friend gratefully. "Come back to Harry and me, we can't fight this war without you."

"I will," Remus promised. "You have the most important job, though. Keep Harry safe while I'm gone. I'm going to go say goodbye to him. See you soon."

With that, Remus let go of Sirius and walked out his bedroom, leaving Sirius more alone than he had felt in a long time. They had both gotten their missions this morning and, though Sirius was ecstatic to see that his mission was advising and keeping his son safe, he was sad to see their small family had to be split apart with Remus's assignment.

Dumbledore had requested that Remus visit a few werewolf colonies to try and convince them to join and fight on the side of the light; though Remus was one of the strongest people he had ever met, Sirius was still worried for his school friend. Remus was bad about believing himself to be a monster, and Sirius was afraid that if Remus were to spend too much time with other werewolves, he would convince himself that he was one. He knew the werewolf colonies could be barbaric in their behaviors, since they felt that the wizarding world had turned against them. Remus had refused to join a colony after Hogwarts, so the other werewolves might view him as a traitor. Sirius was worried Dumbledore was setting his friend up for failure.

Sirius had still not forgiven Dumbledore for what he had allowed to happen with Harry, but he knew that he was their best leader and that he had the wizarding world's best intentions at heart. Without the headmaster, the Order would be lost, so Sirius reluctantly allowed his family to be given their missions and part ways. The summer holidays were going to be long for them, but hopefully Voldemort would be vanquished due to their efforts soon, and Harry wouldn't have to meet his fate the prophecy had lined out for him.


	40. Horcruxes and Destiny

A/n: I was going to make this longer, but I think this was a good stopping point. Enjoy, don't forget to review! Check out my other two stories too, Harry's New Home and Heartbeat.

Grimmauld Place was chaotic during the remaining weeks of the Summer holidays. Between the bustling of the Weasley clan, members coming and going from missions, and the kids preparing the Defense Club lessons, there was always something going on in the dark, old house.

Molly had been assigned to continue preparing the headquarters for future meetings, which included removing dark artifacts from the rooms. She often consulted Sirius with the ancient family artifacts and sought the kids out for help cleaning - Harry, however, argued that it was closer to fighting for their lives than cleaning. Many of the objects they found were dangerous and attempted to harm them in some way. Ron was going through an old wardrobe when the robes inside almost strangled him, and Ginny and Hermione came across an old music box that put them into a trance of some sort. When Sirius noticed them dozing off in a corner, he had the good sense to slam it shut and throw it into the rubbish bin.

It was on a day like this, when the kids had planned all they could manage for their Defense Club, that they found themselves helping out with the removal of the dark objects. Molly was supervising them, while Sirius was meeting with Dumbledore in the next room over. Hermione had been rummaging in an old trunk all morning, when she pulled out a strange artifact that caught Harry's attention from across the room. It was as if a bolt of energy had shot through him, like something was trying to communicate with him.

"What have you got there, Hermione?" Harry asked, walking over to her to see what had given him such an odd sensation.

"It's a locket… you don't reckon it's much danger if we can't open it, do you?" Hermione asked tentatively, attempting to pull the two pieces apart with her hands.

"Hey, Harry, it's got an S on it - looks kinda like Salazar Slytherin's S, doesn't it? Maybe you can open it with Parseltongue, the way you did in second year?" Ron said, joining the two in the corner.

Harry felt nervous - second year had been a nightmare when everyone discovered he was a parselmouth, and he would rather not use it now in front of the entire Weasley clan; but, he reasoned, they wouldn't know if they should throw the locket out unless they knew what was inside it.

"Yeah, sure," Harry said, peering over at the doorway where Sirius and Dumbledore had just walked through to talk to Molly. At least if something went wrong, there were three adult wizards that could correct the damage, Harry thought fleetingly. "Hasss-la-haaaaa-sssss."

As soon as Harry told the locket to "open," it shot out of Hermione's hand, and a large cloud of blackness came at Harry, blinding him, sending a scorching pain through his scar.

Harry heard his godfather and Molly shout for him, but he was too focused on the voice - the voice that had haunted him since the third task of the triwizard tournament, the one that was now speaking to him through the locket. The voice of Lord Voldemort.

" _I have seen your dreams Harry Potter - you have lost, and you fear that you will continue to lose those you love. Why are they dying for you, merely for you? A freak of a boy._ " The voice spoke loudly.

Harry was breathing heavily and searching around desperately for something - anything, to quiet the voice. The black cloud was now morphing into an image: Hermione and Ron being attacked by a snake, Remus being killed by Greybeck, Sirius falling off a cliff. He heard himself shout out as his hand struck hard metal - before he could think, he was charging back at the locket on the floor, hitting it hard with the long sword that he had found beside him, silencing whatever evil had been speaking to him only a moment before.

He was breathing heavy and hunched over the _thing_. He sat there for what felt like an eternity, living his worst fears and memories over and over again - he almost wondered if there was a dementor around, because he couldn't get the images out of his head.

Finally, he felt a firm hand grasp his shoulder. "Harry?" A voice rasped out gruffly beside him.

Harry nodded and turned to meet his father's worried gaze. "I'm… what was that?"

Dumbledore stepped forward, seemingly surprised. "Harry, did you mean to summon the sword of Gryffindor?"

Harry looked dumbly down at the piece of metal in his hand. At the time, he had just been trying to grab something to throw at the accursed piece of jewelry, he didn't have anything specific in mind. "No sir."

Everyone was quiet for a moment, then Sirius spoke. "That was Voldemort. How?"

The Weasley's flinched at the name, but they all knew it to be true - that was definitely magic at it's darkest, and only a wizard as terrible as Voldemort could create it.

Dumbledore stared at the destroyed locket for a long time before sighing. "I have a theory, but it's merely guesswork without the right evidence. I think I may know who to go to for that evidence though."

"Well give it a guess, then," Sirius said impatiently, helping Harry stand back up.

"I… have you ever heard of a horcrux?" Dumbledore asked, looking around wearily. For once, even Hermione looked confused. Sirius, on the other hand, looked uncomfortable.

"My parents… used to talk about dark magic a bit, as you can imagine…" Sirius began sheepishly, not meeting anyone's gaze. "You think that was a horcrux then?" He said after a moment's pause, staring at the headmaster.

Dumbledore nodded, but Fred huffed. "Anyone going to enlighten us, then?" He asked impatiently, looking back and forth between the two older wizards.

Dumbledore locked eyes with Harry, but shook his head. "No, we will not. We have allowed you kids to be very involved with Order affairs thus far, but this information, if true, is far too important to disclose to more than a few ears, no matter how trustworthy. However, I would like a word with Harry and his father."

The Weasley's immediately began to protest, only to be silenced by Molly. Sirius and Harry followed Dumbledore out of the room and upstairs, away from any extendable ears that might try and listen in on the conversation.

"Harry," Dumbledore began immediately, motioning for the two to sit in front of him. They were in a dark den with multiple bookshelves crossing the floor. "We were going to hold off for a few months, but now that you have destroyed what I believe to be a horcrux, it is of vital importance that you learn occlumency. I trust Sirius has shared the prophecy contents with you now, and so you know too much valuable information for us to let you be vulnerable to Voldemort's legilimency. You will begin tomorrow with Professor Snape."

"Wait, aren't you going to explain everything?" Harry asked, eyes widening with confusion.

"Harry…" Dumbledore sighed and looked away. "I need to confirm the horcrux theory before I confide any more information, and you need to promise me that what I share with you tonight and in the future will not be told to anyone. Eventually, you will be permitted to tell Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Granger, but for now, it needs to be kept between the three of us, okay?"

Harry nodded and Dumbledore continued. "A horcrux is some of the darkest magic one can perform. It's the act of splitting one's soul and placing it in a host, in which it can live. A horcrux is difficult to destroy, but once it is, that piece of the person's soul is lost for good, and they become less immortal. I think we can successfully say that, if these are Voldemort's horcruxes, basilisk venom will destroy them." Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at Harry, and he immediately had a flashback to his second year with the diary and him shoving the sword of Gryffindor into the basilisk.

"So, sir, you think the diary was a horcrux too?" Harry asked, meeting the pale blue stare.

Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "If my theory is correct, you have destroyed two of his horcruxes. I need to do more research so we can know just how many Voldemort has created and what those might be. What made you open that locket, Harry?"

Harry looked down and flushed. "I-it kind of… well, spoke to me. I felt its presence inside me." As if remembering something important, Harry met the headmaster's gaze again. "Wait, how come I have to learn occlumency and no one else in the Order does? Aren't they susceptible to Voldemort's legilimency too?"

Dumbledore looked away and shook his head. "You're different… your scar… it connects you to him."

Harry nodded, but Sirius looked furious. Dumbledore continued quickly, not wanting the bright, but temperamental father to frighten Harry before he knew for sure. "You will take occlumency lessons with Snape because he's a skilled occlumens. I will have a word with him before you begin the lessons to be sure that you're treated better than you have been in potions. Now, Harry, I will need to call on you again in the near future about the horcrux business, but in the meantime, please don't share any of this with anyone. If you will, I need to speak to Sirius again before I depart."

Harry looked up at his dad, and at the curt nod that he got in response, he stood up and left the room. His head was spinning and he was extremely disappointed at the extra lessons with Snape; he retreated immediately to his room to think through everything.

Once the door closed behind his son, Sirius turned on the headmaster. "Why can he communicate with those accursed horcruxes?"

Dumbledore looked away, an ashen expression covering his old features. "It's only a theory, Sirius-"

"Yeah, Dumbledore, but your theories are almost always correct. And I think I know exactly where this theory's going. Harry's a horcrux, isn't he?" Sirius whispered angrily.

"It… well, it fits, Sirius. It would explain why Harry could see in Voldemort's mind. I think that when Voldemort murdered James and Lily fourteen years ago, a piece of his soul detached and latched itself onto the only living thing in that building - it attached itself to Harry. And if this is true, then the only way to completely kill Voldemort would be to kill-"

"No, stop." Sirius said, shaking his head and backing out the door. "I won't let you. Never-"

"If it's true, Sirius, it's the only way," Dumbledore insisted, looking older than he ever had.

"Stay away from my son, Albus! We'll find a different way, I won't let anything hurt him." Sirius yelled angrily, storming out of the old room and downstairs to his son's room.

"Dad?" Harry asked, surprised by his father's change in demeanor as he burst through the door. Sirius pulled the boy into a bone-crushing hug and Harry was even more taken aback.

"I'll keep you safe kiddo, okay? It will work out." Sirius insisted, more to himself than Harry.

"Erm, okay, dad." Harry said with a shrug, returning the hug half-heartedly.

They stayed like that for a while. Sirius wouldn't let Albus kill his son, Order be damned. There had to be some other way, a way where Harry wouldn't be harmed in the process - he would devote his life to finding it, if it meant Harry could live a long and happy life.


	41. Occlumency Lessons

"Now, Mister Potter, occlumency is one of the most difficult and obscure areas of magic. Most never attempt to learn it, and of those who do, few master it. According to the headmaster, it is of critical importance that you master it, despite my insistence that you are incapable of such skilled-"

"And this, _Snivellus_ , is exactly why I will be attending Harry's occlumency lessons with him." Sirius said, interrupting Snape's opening lecture from his seat beside his son. "Get on with it."

Harry tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't help but smirk a little at the way Snape's lips thinned in anger at his father.

"As I was saying, Potter, it's a very difficult branch of magic. You need to let go of all emotion and just focus on keeping my force out. Since Black has so much confidence in your abilities, let's begin." Snape said, a smug grin appearing over his features.

"You didn't even explain-" Sirius started angrily, only to be cut off by Snape.

"Now, now, who's running the lesson here?" Snape said, before pointing his wand at Harry and crying " _legilimens!"_

Harry's mind was immediately infiltrated and before he knew it, old memories from his childhood were flashing before his eyes. Aunt Marge's dog chasing him up the tree, being locked in a cupboard without food for a few days, being strangled by Uncle Vernon-

"NO!" Harry cried, falling to his knees. He panted heavily, and felt his dad rubbing his back soothingly. He could hear Snape and Sirius bickering with one another, but he was more concerned with Snape seeing him at his weakest, against his bully of an uncle.

Once he caught his breath, Harry looked up to see Snape rubbing his arm agitatedly. "Did you mean to produce a stinging hex, Potter?" Snape spat at the boy.

Harry clenched his teeth. "No."

"No _sir._ " Snape corrected.

Harry wasn't sure why he said it - perhaps it was that Snape had just seen his absolute worst memory, or maybe it was a build up of the past four years of mistreatment from his least favorite professor; regardless, Harry would later come to view this slip-up as a big mistake.

"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor." Harry said, defiantly meeting Snape's icy cold gaze.

Sirius roared with laughter at his son, too caught up in the brilliance of the joke to notice Snape's change in posture. Harry was smiling back at his dad, and neither had time to react to Snape's spell.

" _LEGILIMENS,"_ Snape roared, casting a much more powerful spell than he had before.

Everything went black for Harry - then he was falling. Falling into a pit of blackness, yelling for someone to help him. He was no longer in reality where he had just been, but instead in the pits of his mind, unable to escape. Then he landed, hard, onto the ground. He was physically five years old, and couldn't remember what he was just thinking, but he was scared, absolutely terrified of huge man in front of him.

"Told the teacher you slept in a cupboard, boy? Thought you would get some sympathy?" His uncle spat at him angrily, advancing on him.

The small boy trembled and backed further into the wall, trying with all his might to get away from the closed fists that were threatening him. His cousin Dudley, also five years old, was in the corner, laughing at him.

"Well, it's not going to do any good!" His uncle continued, moving closer and grabbing Harry by his shirt collar. "No one cares about you, you're a worthless freak. You don't deserve a bedroom or sympathy!"

Spit flew on Harry's face and he started tearing up. "I-I'm s-s-"

A sharp smack stopped Harry in his tracks - it didn't really do much damage, but it stung, and made the child cry harder.

"You're not leaving your cupboard for the rest of the week!" Vernon yelled, moving into the hallway and shoving the boy inside. "You will tell your teacher tomorrow at school that you have a huge bedroom, and that we do our best for you. Understood?"

"Y-yes," the child mumbled, curling up in a ball on his cot, cheek still warm from the smack he had just received. He closed his eyes as his uncle slammed the door on him and then, he was falling again, but his body still ached from the last fall and his cheek still hurt from his Uncle's anger. Now he was seven years old and running as fast as his little legs could carry him, despite the pain in his legs from the impact of hitting the ground. He couldn't remember what he was just thinking, but now he knew he was scared, he didn't want to get hurt by his cousin Dudley and he had to outrun him, get away from him.

"Think you can run, Freak?" Dudley yelled. Dudley was too fat to catch his cousin, but his best friend Piers was much smaller and quicker, and before Harry knew it, he had been tackled to the ground hard. The concrete cut against his knees as he fell, but he couldn't shout out because Piers had covered his mouth with his hand. Once Dudley caught up to him, he began to shower him with hard, powerful kicks to his ribcage. Harry screamed and cried, trying to get out of Piers' grasp so he could call for help. They were in the driveway of Privet Drive, if only Aunt Petunia or Vernon would come outside - they normally didn't care if Dudley beat on Harry, but perhaps if the neighbor's saw they would care enough to make him stop until they got inside - at least Harry could make a break for his cupboard that way.

Harry felt one kick bruise his ribcage badly and tears were running down his eyes and finally, he was falling again, but his ribcage and his cheek and his body still hurt so badly. This fall was different though, distantly he could hear a voice. The voice sounded angry, and Harry cringed away from it as his body grew to the age of eleven. However, something about the voice sounded familiar, and Harry tried to latch onto it, even as the darkness changed into another swirling memory.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM?" The voice yelled angrily, a twinge of panic in it. "STOP!"

But soon the voice was forgotten and Harry had landed again, feeling all the aches and pains, but not sure where they had come from. Surrounding him was the room in which the Sorcerer's Stone was hidden, and in front of him was Professor Quirrel. Quirrel was advancing on him, and Harry turned to run, only to be faced by a wall of fire.

"KILL HIM!" The voice of Voldemort yelled, and then Harry felt fingers closing around his throat, choking the life out of him. This combined with the medley of other pains erupting in his body was getting to be too much, but he took what little power he had left and placed his hands onto his professor's face. Harry could feel his magic draining out of him, weakening him and before he knew it, he was back in the darkness, feeling weaker and in more pain than he had ever felt in his life as he fell deeper and deeper, landing into the Chamber of Secrets in front of a young Tom Riddle.

Riddle used parseltongue to tell the basilisk to attack, and Harry was running, climbing up the chamber walls, trying to get away from the snake that wanted to kill him. He had pulled the Sword of Gryffindor out of the hat and was attempting to stab the snake, only to be bit himself by the poisonous fangs of the beast, adding another pain to all those that he had been feeling. His cheek was still stinging, his ribs still ached, his body felt so weak, and now a new, powerful pain had erupted in his arm, causing him to cry out as he fell again back into the darkness.

Then there was cold, lots of cold, and his godfather was lying in front of him by the lake, a mess of a man. The dementor's were closing in and Harry couldn't produce a patronus, and there was so much pain, and the cold was closing in and suffocating him, and all he could think was that he wanted to live with his godfather so badly it hurt his heart, adding to the mixture of pain he was still feeling.

Yet again, blackness engulfed him, but he was back at the Dursleys and he hadn't gotten much older. His godfather was there, but Harry didn't feel happy at the sight of the man - he dreaded it, dreaded the disappointment in his eyes. On top of all the other pain he was feeling, the heartbreak at telling his godfather goodbye while he was stuck with the Dursley's was the most prominent. Then, he knew what he had to do - he couldn't lie to Sirius.

"Harry, look me in the eyes and say you don't want to live with me." Sirius said, kneeling down in front of Harry.

"I can't… if I said that, it would be a lie, and I can't lie to you." Harry said, watching a smile form on Sirius's face before his uncle shouted.

"OH YOU'VE GOT IT COMING BOY." Vernon yelled, grabbing Harry around the neck and adding more pain to Harry's hurting body.

He was falling again, and the familiar voice was back, but this time it wasn't angry, it was pleading. He heard his name being called, but he didn't know why, and he couldn't remember why he was feeling so much pain, but he was and he was crying.

"Harry, puppy, please, you can do it, come back to me. You're scaring me, baby, wake up, please."

 _Puppy._

And then Harry remembered, he had been with his dad and Snape, and Snape had cast some sort of spell and now he was in so much pain because he was _living_ his memories over and over again. He was physically in his worst memories, and he wasn't sure how, or why, but he knew he had to get out because he _knew_ he couldn't deal with the next memories again.

Then he landed, and he tried hard to hang on to his thought process, but he was fourteen again and he was in the graveyard, and Cedric's dead body was lying beside him. He was staring up at a resurrected Voldemort with red, evil eyes, who was surveying him as if he were a feast to be eaten. He felt pain coursing through his entire body, and knew he couldn't handle the crucio's he was about to be cursed with - he had to get out. So he focused, let go of all his emotion, all the pain, and pushed as hard as possible, pushed away from the dark wizard in front of him and back into the darkness that engulfed him.

Then he was in his father's arms again, and he was crying, but he was finally back to the present and the pain had _finally_ stopped - his eyes were open, and he met the kind grey one's above him before letting loose to the sobs that plagued his body.

Sirius hugged his son close - he had been terrified when Harry had appeared to become spastic in his arms. "What did you do to him?" Sirius growled at his old enemy.

Snape himself looked shaken, but he lifted himself up and met Sirius's eyes. "He learned occlumency, my work here is done." Snape began to leave, but Sirius used his wand to lock the door.

"No you don't, what did you do?" Sirius asked, his voice progressively getting louder.

Snape had the decency to look ashamed. "He will not have any problems with occlumency any longer. I used a rather… obscure branch of legilimency that causes the person to physically relive their worst memories - Harry basically has transformed from a four year old back to his current age through those memories. He felt every bit of pain from each of those while he was going through it, and eventually, the situation started to get desperate for him - this caused Harry to push me out entirely. He won't ever have problems doing this again, no matter the strength of the attack."

Sirius was livid - he went to put Harry down on the floor so he could punch Snape, but Harry's arms wrapped tightly around his neck with such desperation that Sirius didn't attempt to move again. "He had only tried it once! You didn't have to resort to such drastic measures, you didn't even warn him! That's how you drive someone insane!"

"I know the boy is completely incompetent, just like his father. I saved him a lot of trouble by getting it over with - he only had one lesson and now he mastered it." Snape said, though he didn't appear to be as harsh as his words implied.

"At what cost? Do you even realize what he's lived through? To go through that once is horrible, but to force someone to relive what he has - that's just inhumane." Harry whimpered and Sirius pulled his son closer to him. "Get out of my house. I'm telling Dumbledore what you did. Don't come back-"

"You can't kick me out-" Snape started angrily, his usual nasty self returning.

"I don't care about Dumbledore trusting you, this is my house and I want you to leave. _Now._ Get the hell out." Sirius snarled.

Snape stood up straight, then briskly walked out of the room, leaving a traumatized boy and his worried father to sort out the damage.

* * *

"Sirius, please, listen to reason-"

"I will not." Sirius said angrily, cutting off the headmaster. "Snape is not to return to Grimmauld Place, someone can relay the information to him at Hogwarts. You're lucky I don't pull Harry out of Hogwarts for this. It's gone on long enough, Harry's not James, and if Snape can't see that, then I don't want them around each other."

"This is headquarters though. Harry won't see Severus here-"

"I don't care, Albus! Did you know he might try that legilimency method on Harry when you asked him to teach him?" Sirius demanded, becoming angrier by the minute.

"No, that should have been a last resort if the other methods didn't work. I have taken care of Severus." Dumbledore said with a sigh.

"So you sacked Snivellus, then?" Sirius asked, a hint of accusation in his tone.

"Sirius." Dumbledore said, looking at his previous student disapprovingly.

"Look, I don't care what you do with your teachers, but Snape's not coming back here." Sirius said, a tone of finality to his voice that he used when he scolded Harry for something.

"Have you considered that Harry and you provoked him?" Dumbledore asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I don't think that warrants what he did to Harry at all - especially without warning him. Not to mention, Snape started it! He called Harry incompetent before I said anything to him." Sirius said defensively.

Dumbledore sighed. "I was a fool. I should have known that the hate shared between Snape and you boys wouldn't be ignored over the importance of Harry learning occlumency."

Sirius felt that was unfair - if Snape hadn't provoked Harry, he would have kept his mouth shut during the lesson. He would have done anything to help his son, even be indifferent towards his childhood nemesis. Regardless, he shrugged. "Well, Harry has learned it, whether I like it or not. Now help me make my son feel better - he's cried all afternoon. I've never seen him so distraught, even after the tournament and watching Voldemort rise again. I finally got him to sleep an hour ago… I actually probably need to get back in there, he'll have a panic attack if I'm not near when he wakes up."

Dumbledore gave Sirius a sad look. "I don't think there's anything you can do, Sirius. Like you said, Harry's been through terrible things in his short life, and he's been forced to physically relive his worst memories. Just take it slow, give him dreamless sleep every once in a while, and encourage him the way you did after the tournament. He's stronger than anyone I've ever seen, he'll bounce back."

Sirius scowled. "He's very strong and brave, but there's a point where people snap Dumbledore - how much more can he take? I've failed him so much..."

Dumbledore looked taken aback. Then he moved over to the kitchen table, where Sirius was now sitting, fingering a bottle of firewhiskey. "Sirius, you've done the best you can - you being around for Harry has meant more to him than anything, you know that."

Sirius shook his head. "I was in the room with Snape and Harry and I couldn't even protect him from what Snape did - I was too late and now Harry's been… he's been… mind raped. I don't know how else to describe it."

"Sirius, Harry is more like you than I think you realize. Sure, he is like his father and mother as well, but you have really rubbed off on him since he started living with you - And you, Sirius, are one of the strongest students I have ever taught." Dumbledore said kindly, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.

Sirius rolled his eyes, but Dumbledore persisted. "You were abused as a child, just as Harry was, but you came to Hogwarts with more spirit and fire than any student I've seen in a long time. You lost almost all of your best friends at the age of 21, only six years older than Harry, and you were locked up unjustly for twelve years in what some describe as hell on Earth. You could have gotten your revenge on Pettigrew then left, not having a thing to do with Harry, who had guardians and seemingly didn't need you, but you didn't. You committed your life to a boy you barely knew, and you've loved him as much as James and Lily would have. They made a good decision when they picked you, they knew what they were doing. Your strength persevered through practically losing your soul. With you by his side, Harry's will too. Just wait and see."

With that, Dumbledore left Grimmauld Place, and Sirius returned upstairs to check on his son.

A/N: So I know this might be sort of confusing, I got the idea from another fan fiction piece I read. Basically it's the idea of making someone truly relive their worst memories, where they feel every bit of pain they had felt before in those memories - to get out, they have to remember who they are in the present and focus on that. The idea is that, if you can push out this strong of an attack, you can push out anything. So Harry has now learned occlumency... but at what cost? You'll have to find out! Sorry I haven't been updating as much, but I still plan to keep going with this story! Next chapter will focus more on the missions of Order members and Harry's healing before returning to Hogwarts. Please review and check out my other two stories! Thanks!


	42. Marauder Memories

Harry awoke to another nightmare involving an array of memories; he craned his neck around to see if his father was still in the room. Sure enough, Sirius was situated in a chair beside the bed sleeping; his head had fallen back and his mouth was open slightly. Harry thought that this was the most peaceful he had seen his father - since escaping Azkaban and gaining custody of Harry, Sirius had gained both weight and muscle, making him look much healthier than he had when they first met. Magical dental work had completely restored his teeth, and he had a big, white smile that he flashed every time he laughed. His skin had lost its pale, ghastly color and had achieved a light tan pigment, and his cheeks were flushed a rosy color. This past summer he had cut his hair a bit shorter, so it curled just past his ears, and he had shaved his beard off entirely. He looked almost identical to the man that Harry had seen in his parent's wedding photo - the only hint of Azkaban that remained was the haunted look that appeared in his eyes, but even that had become less prominent.

Harry remembered the way the girls at school fawned over him, and he couldn't help but chuckle a little, despite the pain and sadness that lingered in his heart from the past night's events.

Harry's laughter awoke Sirius - he shot out of the chair and looked around wildly for a moment before resting his eyes on the bed where his godson lay. His expression softened and he smiled. "Morning - you gave me a fright, I didn't think you'd be awake for a few more hours."

Harry shrugged and buried his head back into the pillows. He didn't feel like talking much, but he liked having Sirius around.

Sirius paused for a second - he didn't know what he had expected, but he was disappointed at Harry's lack of a response. _Be patient_ he reminded himself before sitting down on the side of the bed and stroking Harry's hair. "You want anything pup? Breakfast? Wanna do something today? I'll take you anywhere your heart desires."

Harry scowled to himself - the last thing he wanted to do was face the outside world after the terrible ordeal last night, but he softened, knowing his dad was trying to make him feel better. "No thanks."

Sirius frowned, but then thought of an idea. "Accio photo album." The old, blue covered book flew from one of Sirius's bookshelves in the bedroom onto the bed.

Harry finally turned to him and gave him a questioning look.

Sirius shrugged. "Feeling nostalgic, I suppose. Want to look?"

Harry thought for a moment, then nodded. Sirius leaned back against the headboard, and rested an arm around his godson's shoulders as he flipped open the photo album. "This is similar to the one I gave you last Christmas - I think you'll like it."

Sirius sat up a little straighter so Harry's head was resting more comfortably against his shoulder, then cleared his throat. "There once was three young boys - well, four, but we'll ignore one, that attended Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There was Sirius Orion Black," Sirius said, turning the page to show one with four separate photographs covering it. The top one had a picture of Sirius as a young boy, probably twelve or thirteen years of age - even then, he looked older than his friends and appeared to carry himself confidently. "He was the most handsome and talented of the bunch, if I do say so myself."

Harry rolled his eyes, but smiled to himself at his dad's antics.

"Next," Sirius said confidently, pointing to the picture in the top right corner of the page. "Was James Fleamont Potter - the Gryffindor Quidditch Star and team captain… bossed me around a good bit when I played my last four years, he did." Harry's dad, his biological dad, waved back at them, a happy smile plastered onto his face. In the background, Sirius was approaching James, a pile of leaves being levitated through the air in front of him. The leaves fell all over James' and then the picture showed the two boys laughing and chasing each other around the grounds. Harry smiled at both of the men he loved being so happy and carefree together.

"Then, there was Remus John Lupin, werewolf mcwerewolf, and probably the bravest of us all." Sirius spoke the last part with so much respect in his voice - Harry knew how much his dad loved and cared for Remus.

"Last and definitely least was the traitor." Sirius mumbled, his kind and gentle demeanor changing immediately at the reminder of Pettigrew. "Anyway, the three boys were the most brilliant Hogwarts had ever seen - unmatchable in any subject or sport-"

"Dad," Harry said, chuckling slightly to himself and rolling his eyes.

"What puppy? You deserve to know the truth!" Sirius said, smiling down at his boy.

"Tell me a real story about the Marauders," Harry said, looking up at Sirius hopefully.

"Hm, I've told you so many though. What do you want to hear?" Sirius asked.

Harry hesitated. "I heard you got… hurt once."

Sirius lifted an eyebrow. "I'm going to assume you're talking about the quidditch fall I took my sixth year? We had a lot of injuries, me especially, considering the family I lived with, but that was definitely the worst one. Why do you want to hear about that?"

Harry shrugged and looked away, blushing. Sirius thought back to Dumbledore's words from the previous night - perhaps they held some truth?

"It's just," Harry began, "you're the strongest person I've ever met. And… I feel… really bad right now, but maybe if I hear how you coped with your worst injury, then it might help me… please, Dad?"

Sirius kissed the top of Harry's head. "I'm flattered, pup, and I'll do it if you think it will help you, but honestly, you make me sound so great when in reality I'm…" Sirius trailed off, not sure where he was going with the statement, but not wanting Harry to believe he was stronger than he actually was. "Well, can I finish the photo album first? There's a few pictures I want you to see."

Harry nodded and resituated himself against Sirius's shoulder.

"Now, as I was saying," Sirius started again, his easy demeanor returning. "The Marauder's were the best of the best - except at finding girlfriends. James fawned (get it Harry, _fawned._ Your dad was a stag- Ow don't hit me!)" Sirius rubbed his arm where Harry had just nicked him for his bad pun. "Anyway, James fancied Lily his entire career at Hogwarts." The picture in the photo album showed James flying circles around an annoyed Lily in an attempt to get her to talk to him. "She wanted nothing of it for the first six years, but she finally came around seventh year."

"What? Why? She didn't like him?" Harry frowned - he didn't know much about his parents besides what Sirius and Remus told him, but he had always assumed that his mum and dad were always friends.

"Well er… listen, Remus, your dad and I, we really were pretty good at things in Hogwarts. We played quidditch, we pulled brilliant pranks, made top marks - it got to James' and my head. Remus was more down to earth than we were… but Lily didn't really like James because James was a bit too, er, _confident_ for her tastes. He deflated his head a bit sixth year and she came around, she really did love him in the end and he loved her too. No matter what you may hear, your dad was a great man and the best friend I could ever ask for. Okay?"

Harry nodded, but he felt a horrible sinking feeling in his chest - had Snape been right all along? Was his dad really arrogant?

"Why does Snape hate you guys so much? I remember Remus saying he thought he was jealous of dad's quidditch talent but… I can't see why that would lead him to hate me too." Harry asked quietly, remembering with pain the events of the night before and what Snape had done to him.

Sirius swallowed and looked away. "There were a couple of things… Harry, I'm not proud of some of the stuff I did at Hogwarts, okay? We were boys and we were immature, especially compared to you. I would like you to not judge James based on what I am about to tell you - he grew into a fantastic man. You can judge me, I'm still a pretty big oaf most of the time."

Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know what Sirius was going to say - his dad normally wasn't this solemn, and it was worrying him. He hesitated, "you… can finish your story first, if you want."

Sirius smiled at Harry, but shook his head. "Nah, you probably need to know - it would at least explain why Snape treats you the way he does." His father took a deep breath, looking down at the photo album sadly. "We… we were arrogant berks. Remus really wasn't, he was the best of all of us. But on the first train ride to Hogwarts, I met your dad in a compartment. I was sitting alone worrying myself sick over whether or not I'd be in Slytherin - my parent's threatened my head if I wasn't. But then I met this boy who was so confident and excited about being in Gryffindor and suddenly I wasn't scared anymore - I _wanted_ to be in Gryffindor. Well, shortly after speaking with this boy, who was your dad, of course, Lily and Snape walk in - they were friends from a young age, apparently. Snape started provoking us and we fought back - not with magic, mind you, but we threw some insults at him. Lily was angry with us and walked out, Snape following right behind her. That was the start of it - he hated us from that moment and we reciprocated that feeling. We'd hex him whenever we had the chance, but he gave it right back to us. I guess the best way to describe it is like Malfoy and you - one person picks the fight, the other reciprocates. There was one time that we got him bad, and it was also the time that Lily and him stopped being friends. It was after our DADA OWL, and I was, er… bored. I voiced this to James and James decided that we should hex Snape, try and get a rise out of him. Remus was there and he was a prefect, but he didn't try to stop us… and we really humiliated Snape. It was funny at the time, but I think that really made him hate us-"

"And what about my mother, why did she stop being friends with him?" Harry asked, feeling a sickening rush of sympathy for the potions professor that hated him so.

"Well, she stood up for him, you see. Told us to stop being arrogant toerags… well, said that to James, but I was definitely at fault too. At this point, Lily and Snape had stopped being as close, Snape was getting into some dark magic, which made us hate him more, to be honest - whatever you're thinking of your dad right now, Harry, know that he was a good man and _hated_ dark magic. Snape was all about it, and Lily stopped hanging out with him for that reason; however, that didn't mean she wanted to watch him get bullied. She stood up for him, and he called her… you know… a-a… the m-word." Sirius explained sheepishly. "From that point on, they didn't speak, and Lily got to know James better and realized he had a good side. The more James got to know Lily, the more he wanted to better himself and he eventually became the man that should have raised you - he was a great man."

Harry nodded, but remembered something else. "You said there was another thing… that made Snape hate _you_ so much?"

Sirius swallowed nervously. "Yeah, yeah there was. I think Remus mentioned it to you before… it's complicated Harry. You'll hate me-"

"No I won't, dad. I know whatever you did then is not who you are now." Harry said, nuzzling into his father's chest.

Sirius sighed. "Okay, well… Snape had been bothering us for a long time about what we did on the full moons. He knew we snuck out and Remus went somewhere with Madame Pomfrey - to be honest, it doesn't exactly take a genius to put it together, and Snape had done it - he just wanted evidence of us breaking the rules and Remus being a werewolf so we could get expelled and all his problems would be gone. So one night on the full moon, he caught up to James, Peter, and I. He started provoking us, talking about my parents disowning me… it hit a nerve for me, but I kept myself under control. I wasn't the only one angry though, he kept bringing up Lily to James and that bothered him too. Then he… he started talking about Remus, about how he knew his secret, how weak and terrible he was - that did it for both James and me. James first reaction was to hex, whereas mine was to run my big mouth… and that's what I did. I provoked him, told him if he wanted evidence that badly to go touch the knot on the Whomping Willow, he could see Remus… I didn't dream he'd actually do it, the idiot. He had just said that he knew Remus was a werewolf, and then he decided to go see it for himself. James stared at me for a moment as what Snape was going to do sunk in, then we both chased him down. I was firing hexes and screaming for him to stop, but he kept running - believe it or not, the guy is a pretty fast runner. James caught him right as he got to the base of the Whomping Willow, but Snape still saw Remus. I turned into a dog to distract Remus while James moved Snape back to the castle. Thankfully James was there and told Remus what happened the next morning; that I hadn't betrayed him, but that Snape had already known and just needed the confirmation from me to do what he had planned… I don't know what I would have done if my friends turned against me."

Sirius sighed again, not meeting his son's eyes. "Needless to say, we all got in a lot of trouble, but especially me. Detention for the rest of the year, kicked off the quidditch team, no Hogsmeade weekends-"

"What? But Snape knew Remus was a werewolf! He might have tried it anyway without you telling him!" Harry said indignantly.

Sirius smiled for the first time since he began the story. "It's alright - like I said, James and Remus weren't mad at me, and that's all I really cared about. James and Snape both got detentions too for being out of the castle late at night, so it wasn't as unfair as you might imagine. I felt I deserved it-"

"You didn't," Remus said from the doorway. Both Sirius and Harry snapped their heads around to face him - they hadn't heard him enter. He had arrived from the werewolf colony late the previous night, and Sirius had only had the chance to speak with him briefly, considering how tired the man had been.

Remus had a soft smile playing on his lips as he walked in and closed the door behind him. "You blame yourself for everything Sirius, but as we pointed out to you a million times back then, Snape already knew what I was - even if you hadn't told him, he probably would have tried it later on."

Sirius swallowed and looked down at the blankets on the bed, not meeting either of their eyes. Remus shook his head and sat on the edge of the bed. "What are you looking at?"

Sirius looked up at his old school friend gratefully. "It's that old photo album I had, I was showing Harry it and the conversation… turned, a bit. Anyway, Har-bear, where was I?"

Harry crinkled his nose at the endearment. "Har-bear?" He asked indignantly. Sirius and Remus both chuckled.

"Oh right! I was talking about Lily," Sirius said, excitedly, turning the page. "So Jamie-boy and Lily got married and had an annoying little berk of a baby- Ow Harry!"

Harry chuckled as the pillow he threw made contact with his dad's face. "That's what you get for calling me an annoying little berk."

Sirius barked laughter and kissed the top of Harry's head before continuing. "Despite his berk-ish qualities, he was adored by all who knew him. His mummy and daddy loved him very much." Sirius's voice had gotten much softer and his expression held one of loving adoration as he looked down at a wizard's photo of James, Lily, and Harry. James was tossing Harry into the air, and all three of them looked so happy.

Sirius turned the page gently, revealing eight photos of Harry, Sirius, and Remus. "And James and Lily had two friends that absolutely loved and adored their annoying little berk of a baby."

The top photo was a picture of Harry sitting in his godfather's lap, playing with a stuffed black dog that he had apparently been given. The picture beside it was of Remus having a full-blown conversation with Harry, while the baby looked up at him with wide eyes, as if he understood what he was saying. The one beside that was of Harry, a little older, giving Sirius a kiss on the cheek, and Sirius was making a face as if he were disgusted to get baby slobber on him - subsequently, the one beside that picture was of Snuffles licking baby Harry's face and Harry making a face similar to the one Sirius just had.

"Always one for revenge, weren't you Padfoot?" Remus said with a laugh at Harry's face in the fourth picture.

"I had to show Harry was it felt like to be slobbered on!" Sirius said, barking laughter. Harry chuckled too and continued to look at the pictures of him with his guardians.

Sirius stroked a hand through Harry's black mop of hair and pulled him in close, gently kissing his forehead. He turned his head so his rough, stubble covered cheek was pressed against Harry's temple, and whispered in a quiet, gruff voice, "No matter what memories Snape made you relive last night, you've got good memories in this head of yours - focus on those and know that you've got people who love you and _will_ help you get through this."

Harry smiled up at his dad, then turned his attention back to the photo album - he didn't exactly feel better, but he had been distracted from the old memories that had tormented his mind, and for that, he was extremely grateful.

Sirius turned the page again, and Harry saw a picture of Sirius and James flying through the air in Gryffindor quidditch robes. "Wait, dad, you forgot to tell me about your quidditch injury."

Remus looked at Sirius, a surprised, but distressed look on his face. "Why were you going to tell him about that?"

Sirius shrugged. "He asked, I don't mind telling him. You saw it, though, you can probably tell the first part better than I could."

Remus shuddered as he remembered it. "It was horrible, I don't know why you're bringing this up… ah, it was a match against Slytherin, wasn't it? You know how the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry is, Harry, it was bad. A Slytherin beater knocked a bludger at James, and Sirius didn't take kindly to the attack on his best friend. Sirius went and picked an argument with the beater, which pissed the Slytherin team off… a few minutes later, both of the beaters from Slytherin had aimed bludgers at Padfoot and they both got him in his torso. He was knocked off the broom from at least 100 feet in the air - the teachers were so shocked they didn't even think to try and slow down his impact. At the last second, Dumbledore slowed him, but I think the impact with the ground shattered about every bone in his body." Remus's voice broke as he said this.

Sirius smirked. "Moony, you emotional devil, I was fine! Out of the hospital wing two days later."

"Only because you snuck away from Madame Pomfrey." Remus said, a small grin playing on his features. The grin was gone quickly though. "We thought we lost you… James thought for sure you were dead."

Harry regretted asking about it - Sirius had referenced the injury a few times since he had started living with him, but the thought of his dad almost dying didn't sit well with him. Harry pressed his forehead into the crook of his father's neck for reassurance.

Sirius turned his head towards Harry. "Not you too, I'm fine! Blimey, that was eighteen years ago."

"I know," Harry said simply, as he closed his eyes. "But you and I aren't practicing quidditch with bludgers anymore."

Sirius huffed, but smiled at his son, who was now curling up next to him. Sirius stroked his hair for a moment, before he said quietly, "you get some more rest, and I'll be back with some lunch in a little while."

Remus eyed Sirius, and then the two friends left Harry in his father's room to get some much needed sleep, as he continued to recover from the terrible occlumency lesson.

A/n: Since Harry has already learned occlumency, he essentially wouldn't find out about the Marauders and Snape, so I'm making Sirius tell him about it. Snape is my least favorite character (I think he's very in depth and interesting as a character, but in relation to Harry, I hate him), so if you love him and think he's never at fault for anything, this isn't the story for you… anyway, let's hear about the Marauders and Hogwarts! Remember to review and enjoy!


	43. Gryffindor Prefects

A/N: Hi, I'm going to get a little rant-y for a moment, so bear with me. I've now gotten a few anonymous reviews telling me how disgusting I am for writing about child abuse. So, let me debunk this really quickly. 1. I rated this T, because there is some minor cursing and violence. I don't think I let the abuse get too terrible, but I will gladly change the rating if it needs to be rated more heavily. 2. Abuse happens in real life all the time, and I personally feel that if we ignore it and act as if it doesn't happen, then there will be children all across the world in which we are doing a disservice. We should talk about these kind of difficult things, explore what they mean, and evoke compassion for these survivors. No one wants to see a child get abused, but writing about it is important because it brings the issue to light. I personally feel that, though I did make an abused Harry to begin with, I gave him a very very loving and wonderful home with his godfather and Remus after one chapter. I'll add a warning to the description of the story if the need be, but like with most things, if you don't like it, don't read it. So now that that has been said and done, here's the next chapter! Filled with teenage angst because why not? Also, warning, there is a bit more cursing in this chapter than in previous ones, so if that offends you for whatever reason, this might be a chapter to skip. Please read and review :)

The rest of the summer holidays flew by and before any of them knew it, they were going back to Hogwarts - for the first time in his life, Harry didn't want to return. The past three months events had really shaken him, and the thought of adding school stress on top of that seemed very difficult. The only thing consoling him about his upcoming departure was that Sirius, Remus, and his best friends would all be there with him.

A few days before they were to leave Grimmauld Place, Hogwarts letters arrived and with them, came an interesting surprise.

Harry's, which had been situated on his desk in Ron and his shared room, was thin and light. Harry opened it, scanned over the book list and shrugged, then pulled a smaller piece of parchment from the envelope. Written inside of it was a letter from Dumbledore, asking Harry to confirm meeting with him on Saturday evenings throughout the year for Order business. Harry knew it was coming; since learning occlumency, Dumbledore wanted to confide in Harry more about the horcruxes and Voldemort, so the boy would be prepared for the time he would have to finish the villain off. After reading through the short note and confirming the lesson times, he turned back to Ron, who had grabbed for his letter on the bed.

"They're loading us down with books for these OWLS, mate-" Harry began, but stopped himself at seeing his friend's gobsmacked expression. "What is it?"

"Blimey, Harry… I'm a… a prefect…" Ron said, still gaping at the badge in his hand like a fish out of water. "I thought for sure it would be you!"

Harry felt a sinking feeling inside of his stomach - he forgot that prefects were chosen in fifth year. "W-wow, mate. That's… it's…" Harry cleared his throat, and nodded. "It's brilliant. Congratulations."

Ron beamed at his friend. "Thanks! I'm going to go tell mum, she'll be thrilled!" Harry watched the back of his best friend leave the room, and placed his face in his hands. He didn't know why he felt so hurt about the position, but he did. If he had known the letter with the badge was coming, he knew he would have expected a different turn out.

 _Quit it,_ he told himself sternly, shaking his head and walking out of the room. This is your best mate, he deserves it. Ron's done plenty and he would be a great prefect, Harry knew it. With that, he followed his best friend downstairs to where Mrs. Weasley was now shrieking with delight.

"Oh, Ron, a prefect! That's everyone in the family!" She squealed, hugging her son tightly.

"What are Fred and I, next door neighbors?" George asks, causing Sirius, who was sitting to his left, to chuckle.

"Don't worry about it, being a prefect is overrated," Sirius said to the twins as Harry sat down. "James and I were never prefects either, we spent way too much time in detention."

Harry felt himself relax even more - his father nor his godfather had been prefects. He was able to smile and be genuinely happy for his friend on getting the position without feeling inadequate. He smiled even bigger when he discovered that Hermione had been chosen as well - he hugged her with vigor in congratulations when she walked over to him with the badge.

* * *

Later that evening, a party had been arranged for Ron and Hermione. Mrs. Weasley had gone to Diagon Alley immediately after breakfast to buy party supplies and get Ron a present for being a prefect - a new Cleansweep 2000.

Harry had been in good spirits all afternoon, feeling happy for his friends and excited about Ron's new broom - he wouldn't have to use the school brooms anymore when they practiced quidditch on the weekends at Hogwarts.

As the guests began to arrive for the party, Harry helped set the table with Mrs. Weasley, wanting his friends to have some time to enjoy themselves and also attempting to avoid his father - despite what he had said earlier about not being a prefect himself, Harry was worried his dad would be disappointed in him for not living up to the standard.

"Oh, I'm just so proud of him," Mrs. Weasley was saying to Harry as she mixed the pot of stew. "Bill, Charlie, and Percy were all guarantees for the position, but Ron was always so timid compared to the rest of them. Then, since going to Hogwarts, he had gotten into so much trouble - when he crashed that car into the Whomping Willow, I thought his prospects for prefect were destroyed! But I guess Dumbledore realized that you influenced him in some of that mischief making."

Harry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. _Mischief making?_ Is that what Mrs. Weasley called their attempts to save the school all these years?

Mrs. Weasley must have realized what Harry was thinking because she rushed to assure him. "Oh I don't blame you at all, Harry dear! Where would we be without you? Besides, boys are curious, it's no wonder you two have gotten into the situations you've been in. I'm proud of you too, you would have made a good prefect."

Harry smiled at her, but didn't say anything - he felt his good mood deflating a bit as he set the table, but he focused on the task at hand so he would be in good spirits for his friends.

The party was in full swing when Harry finally joined the group, grabbing a butterbeer from the table and sitting near Ron and Hermione, who were chatting animatedly with Tonks and Remus.

"I thought for sure Harry was going to be prefect," Ron was saying to Tonks. "But you know, he's gotten into so much trouble over the years, Dumbledore must have realized he wouldn't be the best role model for some eleven year olds, ay Harry?"

Ron's tone was joking, but Harry felt his good spirits dissolve even more. "I guess so," he mumbled through a grimace, doing his best to sound pleasant.

"I mean," Ron continued, laughing. "Went searching for the Sorcerer's Stone _and_ The Chamber of Secrets? You'd have to be mental to do that stuff. Not to mention the whole Triwizard Tournament thing last year… looked pretty bad when your name came out of that goblet after all the precautions Dumbledore made, mate."

Harry swallowed the rest of his butterbeer down and excused himself abruptly from where he was seated. Hermione had begun a discussion with Remus a few minutes before Harry had sat down, so she didn't hear the conversation that her best friends had just had. Ron and Tonks, however, both watched him walk away, confused. "I'll go talk to him," said Ron, an amused expression on his face as he stood up.

As Harry left the room, he was stopped by his dad. "Hey pup, where are you going?"

"Bugger off," Harry mumbled, feeling his anger bubble up inside of him as he remembered Ron's words, not caring that he was mouthing off to his father for no reason other than to spite him - if Sirius was going to be disappointed in Harry for not being a prefect, he might as well play the part well, he reasoned.

Sirius was so taken aback by Harry's cold tone, that he didn't even think to scold him for the cheek. He stared after his son as he left the room, then turned to Ron incredulously, who was approaching him. "Don't worry, Sirius, I'll take care of him."

Sirius watched Ron walk out of the room, then he followed as well. He hadn't seen Harry's temper often, but he knew that Ron might not handle it correctly. Briefly, Sirius recalled the huge argument Ron and his son had gotten into at the start of the Triwizard Tournament, and resolved to listen to their conversation before stepping in and taking matters into his own hands.

Harry stood in a corner of the den, staring at a bookshelf by the fireplace, trying to ignore the burning feeling in his chest - he wasn't quite sure where the anger and resentment had come from, but it was there and attacking his body full force.

"Mate, what was that all about?" Ron asked, approaching Harry from behind.

"Nothing," Harry responded simply, even angrier that Ron had followed him.

"Come on, let's go back, mum's going to bring out stew soon." Ron suggested, moving to put a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry shrugged it off.

"I don't want stew right now, thanks." Harry said, not moving his eyes from a book on elemental magic that was sticking out on the bookshelf.

"Mate? What's wrong?" Ron asked, confused.

"Bugger off, Ron! I don't need you rubbing your shitty prefect duties in my face." Harry said coldly, finally turning to face his best friend.

"Is that what it is to you, then?" Ron asked, becoming angry himself. "If I didn't know you so well, I'd think you were jealous. You wish you were a prefect, famous Harry Potter wants yet another title. Is the Boy-Who-Lived and Chosen One not good enough for you anymore? Well guess what, you can't cause trouble every year and expect to receive everything you want, now can you?"

"Trouble? Is that what you fucking called it when I was saving your sister's arse-"

"Harry James Potter!" Sirius said loudly, catching Harry off guard; he hadn't heard his father walk in, and it was rare that Sirius spoke to him like that. "Get upstairs to my room. _Now."_

Harry felt his heart beating fast as he walked up the steps to the third landing, his head hanging low in embarrassment. He was still angry, but some of that was ebbing away at his fear that his father was really angry with him - he had only gotten into trouble a handful of times since living with Sirius, surely Sirius wouldn't be that upset with a little yelling and cursing…

Sirius watched his son leave the room, and then turned to Ron. "I'll take it from here, Ron, you go enjoy the party."

Ron looked angry still, but Harry's last comment caught him off guard - he seemed slightly ashamed for calling Harry's heroism "trouble."

As Sirius followed Ron out of the den, Ron turned to him. "Don't get too mad at him, I kinda deserved it… I shot my mouth a little bit-"

"Don't worry about it, just go enjoy your party. You can talk to him tonight after I have if you still wish to." Sirius said in a stern tone as he turned and followed his son up the stairs.

Harry stepped in Sirius's room and paced a few times before he heard Sirius's steps approaching. He turned to face his father immediately as Sirius shut the door behind himself. He stood in front of Harry with his arms crossed, surveying his son. "What has gotten into you today?" He finally asked, trying to keep a stern voice, but feeling concern overtake him.

Harry slumped down, feeling very frustrated. "It's not fair." He finally mumbled, looking away.

"What? Life? Yeah you're right, but does that give you an excuse to behave the way you have been today? To mouth off at not only me, but your best mate?" Sirius asked, taking a step closer to Harry, but keeping enough distance so that Harry wouldn't feel threatened. Most of the habits from a life of abuse had stopped appearing since Harry had started living with Sirius, but he didn't want to cause the boy to relapse by scaring him.

Harry bowed his head. He looked ashamed. "You're right." He mumbled quietly.

"I know I am." Sirius said strictly, but curiosity won over his parenting instinct to discipline. He motioned for Harry to sit over on the bed. Harry obliged, and he sat down beside him. "What's got you bothered?"

Harry shrugged, and Sirius shook his head, adding sternly, "Harry, look at me and give me an honest answer."

Harry looked up at his dad with wide eyes - he wasn't used to this side of Sirius, and wasn't sure how to act. It was almost like starting over with his father, not knowing what to expect out of him, anger or understanding? It worried him a little bit. "It's just… I've contributed so much to Dumbledore's cause of fighting Voldemort and I didn't even want to - first year I saved the Sorcerer's Stone, second year I fought a Basilisk and saved Ginny, last year I…" Harry stopped and shook his head, trying to compose himself from the bad memories that were plaguing his mind. "But… he won't even make me a prefect. I know I caused trouble, but what would have happened if I hadn't? Voldemort would have been resurrected earlier than he had been, or Ginny would have- could have… It's just not fair, dad." He mumbled, burying his face in his hands.

"Harry, perhaps Dumbledore thought you had enough responsibility as it is? Prefect is a lot of work, do you really want to rally up first years all the time and tell them what to do or tell your friends to quit joking around? Doesn't seem like something you'd like; I know you and you enjoy having a bit of fun - telling kids like Fred and George off for playing pranks isn't something you would enjoy. Dumbledore gave you a very important mission, to lead a Defense Against the Dark Arts group teaching kids how to fight and protect themselves. To me, that seems like something right up your alley, something that you would love and pour your time and effort into. And what about quidditch? You're the star seeker for Gryffindor, you'll have to practice almost every day of the week! Dumbledore probably would have made you Team Captain if Angelina wasn't a seventh year. Add all this on top of your studies for your OWLs and private lessons with Dumbledore, do you really think you will have time to be a prefect?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow.

Harry gaped at his dad before looking back down at the floor and shaking his head. "No… I didn't think about it like that, I guess."

"No, you didn't." Sirius said, still keeping a stern demeanor. "And you owe Ron an apology… and me too, you hurt my feelings a bit when you told me to 'bugger off,' I might be traumatized." Sirius added the last part with a small smile in an attempt to make his son look less like a kicked puppy, but it didn't work - Harry looked more distressed.

"Ron's going to hate me… I tried to be happy for him this morning, I really did!" Harry exclaimed, standing up and pacing the room. "I congratulated him and everything, tried to be excited about the broom his mum bought him and the party… but Ron and Mrs. Weasley said that I had stirred up too much trouble to be a prefect and it just rubbed me the wrong way. Is that all it was to everyone? Me causing trouble? Because it didn't feel like that when I was seconds away from being choked to death by Professor Quirrel, or poisoned by a basilisk, or-"

Harry was cut off by his father hugging him, a gesture that he hadn't been prepared for at all. He had expected to be scolded further, sent to his room, not… comforted.

"Harry, stop talking like that." Sirius said gently, his cheek pressed against the top of his son's head. "No one thinks of what you have done like that; Ron was just running his mouth, you know he can be cheeky. I definitely don't think about it like that, and every time you mention that damn basilisk," he shuddered and shook his head. "My blood runs cold, I don't want to imagine you in that situation ever. If I had realized that _his_ comment was what bothered you so much, I wouldn't have been so angry, I just thought you were mad about the prefect thing and being an arse to your best mate for no reason. _I'm_ sorry."

"I mean, I wasn't exactly thrilled about it when I first found out I didn't get it, but you said that my dad and you weren't prefects so it quit bothering me, I was happy for them… until Ron said that and then I just lost it. I don't even know why I'm so mad all of the sudden," Harry mumbled, pulling away from his dad and sitting back on the edge of the bed. "My scar's still been hurting every now and then and I occasionally… feel really angry. I don't know how else to describe it."

Sirius swallowed nervously as he sat beside his son. He knew exactly why Harry was feeling this emotion, but he couldn't tell him - he wouldn't acknowledge the fact that Harry might be a horcrux, the idea was too horrid for the man to bear. "I don't really know why that is, pup. But what I do know is that you're a great person who has had to bear the weight of the world on your shoulders. You don't need to be a prefect at all, and I'm proud of you regardless. Shit, I might have been a little disappointed if you _had_ become a prefect, what kind of Marauder discourages joking around and fun? Besides old Moony, of course."

Harry smiled at his dad and leaned into him as he felt the familiar arm snake around his shoulders. "I'm sorry, dad."

Sirius kissed the top of his son's head and nodded. "You're forgiven, but I might need to scourgify that mouth - I think you taught me a few new words tonight."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I get _that_ from you."

Sirius chuckled and shook his head. "Your mother would tear me a new one for that if she was here... James would think it was hilarious until she did the same thing to him…"

After a moment of comfortable silence, Sirius sighed dejectedly, thinking of the last time he had to ground his son during the Triwizard Tournament, and how it resulted in Harry avoiding him for weeks. "I am going to have to ground you though. How about you spend tomorrow cleaning out the old library with me instead of going to Diagon Alley with everyone? I'll give Molly the money for your books and supplies."

Harry looked slightly indignant, but when he remembered the way he had yelled at Ron, he nodded reluctantly. "Yes, sir."

"Good lad," Sirius said, patting Harry's shoulder. "Now, let's go back downstairs and you can apologize to Ron."

The two walked back downstairs to rejoin the party, Harry feeling slightly better about the situation, and Sirius feeling significantly more distressed at another clue pointing to his son's fate as a potential horcrux.

A/N: So Harry's scar's still hurting and he's still feeling Voldemort's emotions, but he learned occlumecy. Why? Because occlumency keeps Voldemort from looking into Harry's mind, but does not prevent Harry from looking into Voldemort's, since he is a horcrux.


	44. When Troubles Come

A/n: Things are about to get crazy, but for now, here's a fluffy chapter about the return trip to Hogwarts. Enjoy and please review! (Also check out my other stories if you haven't, I just updated one!)

Things had been tense between Ron and Harry since the party; despite Harry's compliance with his father's wishes of apologizing to his best friend, Ron was reluctant to accept it. Harry had voiced this to Sirius the following day when everyone had gone to Diagon Alley, and Sirius had thought that perhaps Ron felt guilty for his own words against Harry.

Currently, though, Harry did not have to worry about the awkwardness that still lingered between his best mate and him, because he was sitting in a compartment on the Hogwart's Express alone while Hermione and Ron were in a prefect's meeting.

For the first time in his life, Harry was actually dreading returning to Hogwarts - last year had been horrible with the Tournament and he felt like the worst was yet to come with Voldemort's return. He was already contemplating skipping the opening feast and just sleeping in his father's quarters for the evening.

A crash and "TREVOR!" broke Harry out of his musings.

"Sorry, Harry," Neville said, stepping into the compartment with Ginny at his heels. "Trevor almost flew out the window, my fault for not having a good grip on him, I suppose."

Harry chuckled as the two sat down. "It's alright, it was getting pretty boring in here anyway."

"Ron still being a prat?" Ginny asked, helping herself to one of Harry's Caldron Cakes.

Harry chuckled again and nodded. "He couldn't even look at me when we left Grimmauld Place this morning. I mean, I apologized… I'm not really sure what else he wants me to do, shine his prefect badge?"

Ginny and Neville laughed, but Harry felt slightly guilty for making a joke about his best mate - even if said best mate would barely look him in the eye.

Once Ginny composed herself, she just shook her head. "I don't think it's from what you said, Harry. I heard him talking to dad about it, he feels really guilty for what he said to you - reckons you had a right to be pretty angry with him and the fact that you apologized threw him off guard."

"Yeah, well my dad made me… although I did act like a bit of a prat too." Harry said fairly, looking out the window at some cows they were passing.

"Ginny told me about that, it was a little harsh for Sirius to make you stay home from Diagon Alley, don't you think? I mean, Ron did kind of provoke your reaction," Neville said boldly, looking at Harry for confirmation.

Harry smiled and shook his head. "That wasn't for cursing at Ron, he made me stay home because I cursed at him too… I tried to tell him he's the one that taught me the words in the first place, but he wasn't very impressed with that answer."

Ginny and Neville laughed again, then turned their heads as their compartment door opened back up.

"Hello," a small, blonde haired girl said, stepping inside. "Do you all mind if I sit in here? Every compartment is full and no one wants me to sit with them."

"Of course, Luna. Harry, Neville, this is Luna Lovegood, she's in my year. Ravenclaw, right?" Ginny said, scooting over in her chair to make room.

"Oh yes, my entire family has been in Ravenclaw. Dad is currently working on recreating her lost diadem out of flowers and wrackspurt droppings." Luna said, so confidently that Harry almost missed her last couple of words.

"Er- wrackspurts?" Harry asked, eyeing Ginny and Neville to see if they were also confused.

"Oh yes, they're all over the garden where dad and I live," Luna said conversationally.

"So, Harry, how was your summer?" Ginny asked, looking to Neville for help.

Harry smiled slightly at her - she stayed with him ever since his trial in Grimmauld Place, so she knew exactly how his summer went. He was getting the idea that Luna wasn't Ginny's favorite person to talk to.

"It was pretty lousy." Harry said with a shrug. "But at least Fudge is gone."

"Oh, I agree." Luna added with a nod. "He always said _The Quibbler_ was rubbish, I suppose he had too many nargles clouding his mind."

"Gran says _The Quibbler_ is rubbish too," Neville added, thoroughly confused at Luna.

Luna's serene expression didn't change at Neville's quip - she merely shrugged and added under her breath, "your head must be full of them too, then."

Neville looked at Harry, surprised, and Harry couldn't help but chuckle at him. He missed his friends, but he didn't mind the company of Luna, Ginny, and Neville - it was, at least, more interesting than sitting in a compartment by himself.

* * *

Things were awkward between Harry and Ron on the carriage ride up to the castle, but not just because of the previous day's events. When the carriages had first approached, there was a horse-bird hybrid pulling them. They were sinister looking, with skull-like faces and large, bat-shaped wings, but yet they didn't appear to be threatening. When Harry asked Hermione what she thought they were, she said she couldn't see them - Ron looked positively frightened, like he thought Harry was going over the deep end.

"You-you mean you guys can't see them?" Harry asked incredulously, surveying the closest one.

"Harry… there isn't anything there." Hermione pointed out, sounding concerned. Ron refused to meet Harry's gaze.

After this, Harry himself was concerned for his own sanity, so he bid Hermione and Ron farewell before retreating to Sirius's quarters once they arrived to the castle. Hermione had seemed hesitant to leave Harry alone, but his mind was made up and Ron was urging her forward towards the food.

Harry sat on the couch in the living room between his dad's room and his, and he requested for Dobby to bring him some food from the feast. Once he had eaten, he laid back on the couch and waited for Sirius to come back.

* * *

"Harry! Harry!" Harry was shaken awake and met with Sirius's worried gaze.

"You scared the hell out of me, pup." Sirius said, shaking his head. "The entire feast I was wondering where you were. Hermione told me of course, afterward, but I was ready to run out of the hall when I realized you weren't there tonight. Hogwarts or not, you know things are dangerous now."

Harry looked away guiltily. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Sirius's worried expression softened and he nodded. "What's got you bothered?"

"Ron," Harry said quietly. "He still will barely look at me. Ginny reckons he feels guilty too, but it's driving me crazy. I was glad he was a prefect so I didn't have to ride the train with him today… can I spend the night here tonight? I'll go back to the dorm tomorrow I just don't want things to be weird with everyone and-"

"Breathe, kiddo, of course you can. I see you've already eaten." Sirius smirked, gesturing towards the empty plate of leftovers from the feast.

Harry nodded and sighed, sitting up straight and avoiding Sirius's gaze. Sirius crinkled his brow and reached a hand over to grasp Harry's shoulder, but Harry shrugged him away.

"Harry," Sirius said warningly, cupping his son's face so he would look him in the eye.

Harry breathed deeply for a second, and then shook his head. "What's wrong with me? I keep lashing out at people for no reason, like I have this anger and I don't know where it's coming from… and, today, at the carriages, I saw something, a creature Hermione and Ron couldn't see - am I going mad?"

"First, nothing's wrong with you and you're not going mad." Sirius bit the inside of his cheek at the small lie - if the horcrux business was true, then there was something wrong, but Sirius refused to worry his son with that. He wouldn't let it affect him. "Second, you saw a thestral. I can see them too, and so can most of the faculty here. I believe Hagrid will cover them for your OWLs when he gets back from his Order mission, but people who have witnessed death can see them."

"You-you've witnessed death?" Harry asked, wide-eyed. "And, how come I haven't been able to see them before? I saw mum…"

Sirius looked at Harry sadly. "I've witnessed a few deaths in my lifetime, both from the dark family I grew up in and the first war. And, I think the reason you never saw them before is because you don't consciously remember your mother dying."

"I mean, I used to have nightmares about it, before I even knew I was a wizard. I could vividly see Voldemort and the green light… and I heard her scream in the dementor attacks. Nothing adds up…" Harry mumbled, looking away again.

Sirius wanted to scream - the horcrux theory was becoming more and more plausible. How else could Harry vividly remember a time before he was two years old? He couldn't keep lying to his son, especially when he was basically asking him… but he refused to plague him with the truth just yet. "I'm sorry puppy, The Order is working hard to try and figure all this out and help you. Seeing as we can't do anything about it right now, do you want a butterbeer? It might help you relax some before bed. You've got charms and defense tomorrow, and I've heard both of those professor's are very strict, so you should get some rest." Sirius smirked as Harry chuckled and ruffled his godson's hair. "It will be okay, you'll see."

Harry nodded and leaned into his father, looking up at him with eyes full of trust - it made Sirius want to cringe away, knowing he was keeping something important from his boy. Harry would hate him if Dumbledore's horcrux theory turned out to be true, they always told each other everything.

Sirius shook his head as he retrieved the butterbeers from the fridge. He was doing it to protect his son, and if that protection meant keeping something from him, then it was a small price to pay for his son's safety and happiness, he decided. Harry would hear it from him immediately if the theory proved to be true, but until then, there was no point in worrying his son further.

Sirius brought the drinks back to the living room where Harry was sitting and handed his son one. He wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and kissed the boy's temple. "I'm going to keep you safe, okay?"

Harry looked up at him curiously, but nodded. "Whatever you say, Siri." He said jokingly, avoiding the swat his dad sent at him for the cheek.

"Oi! You sound like you doubt my abilities, Har-bear." Sirius said, knowing the nickname would get a rise out of his son.

"Don't call me that! Unless you want to be known as Professor Snuffles throughout Hogwarts?" Harry asked, dodging his godfather's playful jab.

"Off to bed with you, then!" Sirius said with a bark-like laugh, gently pushing his son. "Cheeky little rascal."

"It's only nine!" Harry said in a playfully indignant manner.

"Oh, of course, I forgot to sing you a lullaby. You can't go to sleep until you're graced with my beautiful singing voice- OI!" Sirius yelled as Harry ran off to his room. Sirius used magic to prevent Harry from shutting his bedroom door and followed him inside. "Perfect, so you just get situated in your four-poster and I'll start singing."

"Dad!" Harry exclaimed good-naturedly, rolling his eyes.

Sirius smirked and walked over to where Harry was sitting on the edge of his bed He sat beside him and threw an arm around his shoulders. "Should have known you'd get too old to put up with my parenting. Just don't forget your old man when you're off on your honeymoon with your wife and making millions of galleons in your successful career-"

"If I let you sing one verse, will it shut you up?" Harry asked with a laugh.

"I suppose so," Sirius said, grinning as Harry leaned back and got under his covers. "Ready?"

Harry nodded and closed his eyes, turning to face where his dad was sitting on the bed and curling up around him. Sirius stroked Harry's bangs back tenderly, and sang the first verse of the lullaby that brought back happy memories of times long gone.

"When I am down, and oh my soul so weary…"


	45. Meet Grawp

"Sirius, have you noticed that something seems to be causing disturbances in the Forbidden Forest?" Remus asked. The two men were sitting in Sirius's quarters on the second Saturday of the term, waiting for Harry to arrive so they could go eat lunch in Hogsmeade together. Sirius wanted to spend as much time as possible with Harry, not only because he loved talking to him, but also to keep an eye on his safety and well-being. The boy had had quite the year and Sirius wanted to be sure he was holding up well with all the pressure being placed on him.

"You know, Rem, I have. The centaurs have been agitated since Hagrid got back a few days ago. You don't think he brought a foreign beast with him back from his mission? You know how much he loves magical creatures…" Sirius mumbled, shaking his head.

"Maybe we should take a look around tonight? It's the full moon, I've taken the wolfsbane potion so I should be fine. Harry will be with Albus tonight for his private lesson, so I doubt he would mind." Remus suggested, grinning at his friend.

Sirius returned the smile. "Why not? It would be like old times… Padfoot and Moony walking around Hogwarts."

Before the two could discuss their plans for the following evening anymore, Harry walked in, looking frightened.

"Harry," Sirius said urgently, walking up to his son. "Are you okay?"

Harry swallowed thickly and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Hagrid was just… er, telling me about his mission. Giants are pretty bloody terrifying…" The truth was, Hagrid had just introduced Hermione, Ron, and Harry to his little brother, Grawp, and Harry had promised to help keep Hagrid's secret about him. Although he didn't like lying to Sirius, he knew his overprotective father would freak out if he found out Harry had been within ten feet of a young giant.

"No kidding," Sirius said, ruffling his son's hair. "I can't imagine what Hagrid's been through in the last three months."

"Hopefully he hasn't brought anything back from his adventures," Remus mumbled, walking over to the two of them.

Harry tensed up at Remus's words and Sirius noticed. "Merlin, kiddo, are you okay? You sure you're up to going to Hogsmeade today?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine, let's just go."

With that, the three left for the Three Broomsticks. Harry felt better during his trip to Hogsmeade, allowing the giant to go to the back of his mind for the time being, so that he could just enjoy the time with his guardians.

* * *

"Alright, Sirius, are you ready?" Remus asked, putting on an oversized bathrobe in preparation for the transformation.

"Yep, we'll leave from here and go straight to the forest. I say we head towards the centaur colony first, see if we can hear any clues from them on what's going on - if we don't get anything from them, we'll go on and start walking around. I think we should check the different clearings scattered throughout that forest, where unicorns graze. We'll have a good view of large spaces then. If we don't find anything, I guess we could just ask Hagrid about it tomorrow. He cares about all living creatures, so if one is causing a ruckus, he would know." Sirius said, also donning a bathrobe to change into his animagus form easier.

"Okay, I'm going to go upstairs and wait for the transformation - if you want to come up there too, go ahead and change into a dog, just in case the potion doesn't work." Remus said, turning to move up the rickety steps of the shrieking shack. "Oh and Sirius, if the potion doesn't work, we should stay here. I don't want to risk biting a student."

"Absolutely, Rem. I'll be right up," Sirius said, staring out the window at the full moon for a few more moments before transforming into his alter ego and following his friend up the old staircase.

* * *

"Okay, Harry, so as we discussed earlier, I believe the way to go about defeating Voldemort will be through the destruction of horcruxes - now, in my not so humble opinion, I think Voldemort would have used seven horcruxes, a powerful magical number. I also think, with the help from a ministry employee, I have located the site of another one. Before I show you that man's particular memory, however, I would like for you to take a look in my pensieve. I think what you see, you will find enlightening." Dumbledore said, gesturing over to his pensieve.

"Er- okay." Harry said, walking over and placing his head in the bowl. He plunged his head inside and was in an old orphanage, somewhere in muggle London.

Then, he saw Dumbledore. He followed the man inside the orphanage and towards an office, where a strict looking lady gave Dumbledore some information about a boy; a boy who's name made Harry's blood run cold.

"Now I must tell you, Tom is not like the other children. He causes a lot of trouble, but strange things have been happening with him." The lady, presumably the owner of the orphanage, told Dumbledore.

"Not to worry, Madam, we at St. Marcus's take care of the children. Perhaps he will return next year a bit more behaved?" Dumbledore said kindly, showing himself out of the office.

"Where exactly did you say your school was, Mr. Dumbledore?" The lady inquired questioningly.

"I didn't," Dumbledore said simply, walking out of the room and down the hall towards Tom Riddle's room. Harry reluctantly followed.

Once the professor showed himself into the boy's room, he began to explain about magic.

"You mean, I'm special?" The boy asked - despite his childhood innocence, Harry thought he was creepy.

"Well, no more special than your friend's here, no." Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "You can just do different things than they can. Just like they can do different things than you."

"They can't do anything except whine about kids being mean and taking their toys." Tom Riddle mumbled, looking forlornly out the window.

"Which reminds me," Dumbledore said, setting Tom's wardrobe to fire. "I think something in your wardrobe needs your attention."

Tom walked over and opened his cupboard, looking at a small box of toys.

Dumbledore walked up behind him. "Stealing will not be tolerated at Hogwarts, Tom. I expect you to return all of these things to their owners before you leave, or I might have to revoke my invitation."

With that, Dumbledore began to leave, and Harry gladly followed, but Tom called him back. "Sir - I can talk to snakes. Is that normal for me?"

Harry found himself spit out of the memory and back onto Dumbledore's office floor after that last statement.

"That, Harry, was how I found young Tom." Dumbledore explained, helping Harry up. "How he got in that situation, is the next part of our lesson. I have a memory here from a ministry official that was in contact with Tom Riddle's parents and family, and I think it holds a clue to hunting horcruxes-"

"DUMBLEDORE!" McGonagall yelled, running into the office. "Oh, heavens, Harry, you're here. Something's happened with Sirius and Remus - it looks bad."

Harry and Dumbledore rushed after McGonagall out of his office, down the spiral staircase, and to the hospital wing. Harry wasn't sure what would have happened - he had thought Remus and his father were just going on a stroll that night, like they had done thousands of times in the Marauder's days. What could have possibly gone wrong with a little exploring on the Hogwart's grounds?

When they reached the hospital wing, Dumbledore opened the doors and they strode in; however, one look at the first bed had Harry cringing away. There was no way the mass of blood, bones, and flesh in front of him was a person. Why had McGonagall brought him to see someone so gravely injured?

With crushing realization, Harry recognized the matted black hair and, now broken, handsome features of his dad.

"Dad!" Harry exclaimed, shocked at the mangled appearance of his father. He felt tears prick his eyes and made to come closer, but a wolfish hand pawed at him. He turned around and backed up in shock for a moment. It was Remus, but he was in his wolf form, unable to talk; the look in his eyes, however, was all the confirmation Harry needed - this was bad.

"I… I tried to find out what happened, but clearly Sirius can't tell me and Remus won't be able to speak until morning." McGonagall said sadly, on the verge of tears.

Harry wasn't listening to his professor; instead, he was watching Madam Pomfrey's every move. "Will he be okay?" Harry choked out.

Pomfrey looked up to Harry sadly. "I'm going to do my best with him, Mr. Potter. We won't know until I can get him stabilized. For now… he's alive."

Harry felt as if his heart had stopped - he needed answers, but more than that, he needed his father to be okay. He felt McGonagall lead him over to a bed nearby, but Harry didn't want to sleep, he couldn't. He couldn't see his dad from this bed, and he wanted to watch him, be sure he was still breathing. He tried to fight her grip, but soon Dumbledore was there, and so was Moony, all pushing him down and holding him secure.

"Harry, son, I need to you to calm down." Dumbledore said gently, looking worriedly at Professor McGonagall.

Harry choked on a sob at the word son, coming from someone that was _not_ his dad. He couldn't lose Sirius, he just couldn't. He tried breaking out of their grips, but all three of them were too strong for the boy.

"Albus, he's not calming down - maybe I should have waited until tomorrow to say something-" McGonagall began, holding Harry's hands in her own to keep him from flailing.

"No, he needed to know now. Harry, I don't want to do this, but we need you to calm down." Dumbledore said as he poured a foul-smelling potion down Harry's protesting throat.

"STOP, STO-" Harry choked, fighting with all his might against the hands holding him, attempting to soothe him. Soon, though, Harry's mind cleared, and he felt himself falling swiftly into darkness, enveloping him in a world of black, nothingness.


	46. By Your Side

Harry woke up to murmuring voices - his first reaction was to jump up and walk over to his father's bed, but his pounding headache prevented quick movements. Instead, he sat there for a moment, trying to decipher what the people to his right were talking about.

"It was a _giant_ , Minerva. Hagrid brought a damn giant into the forest!" A voice Harry recognized as Remus's said.

"Hagrid is torn to pieces about the entire thing," McGonagall said warily. "He says the giant is his little brother and hasn't harmed anyone thus far besides Sirius."

"How many people have seen the giant, though?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Er-" Harry finally spoke up, opening his eyes and sitting up. "Other than Hagrid, three of us… including myself."

"Harry," Remus said, turning to him surprised. His facial expression immediately turned to anger. "You knew about that thing and didn't tell us?"

"I promised Hagrid I wouldn't," Harry mumbled, looking down. "I regret that promise now. But he really didn't hurt Hermione, Ron, or I. I don't know why it went after dad…"

"Remus, why don't you explain to Harry exactly what happened now that he's awake." McGonagall suggested gently, wanting to avoid the werewolf's anger.

"I can't believe you drugged me!" Harry said, his own anger reigniting after remembering last night's events.

"What good would you have been worked up like that? Madame Pomfrey needed peace and quiet to save Sirius, you would not have helped the situation in the state that you were in." Remus said gently but firmly, trying to console Harry.

"He's my dad, though! I already lost my mum and my real dad, what would have happened if he died while I was drugged?" Harry said angrily, tears pricking his eyes again. He wiped them away frustratedly, refusing to break down until he knew what was happening. "He… he hasn't died, has he?" Harry asked, his demeanor changing from furious to timid.

Remus gave his shoulder a soft squeeze. "He's stable now, but Madam Pomfrey's not sure when he will wake up. She's cleaned him up and fixed all his injuries, so he looks a lot better than he did when you saw him. You have been excused from classes for the rest of the week. But if you stay here with him, you have to be calm and take care of yourself. I'm talking twelve hours of sleep and three meals; Sirius would kill me if I let you fret so much that your own health deteriorated."

Harry sighed dejectedly and nodded. "So, what happened then?"

"Sirius and I had heard that something was disrupting the centaurs and other creatures in the forest, so last night on the full moon we went to see what it was - if we had been told it was a giant, we wouldn't have gone… it would have saved us a lot of trouble if you had been honest, young man." Remus said sternly, as Harry looked away guiltily.

"Stop, Remus," McGonagall said. "If anyone is at fault, it's Hagrid for bringing a giant into the forest. Harry was just trying to help him - Sirius wouldn't blame Harry. I know you're upset, but be upset at what happened, not at one of your family members."

This time Remus looked away guiltily and took a shaky breath, knowing his former professor was right. It didn't take a genius to see that Harry was already blaming himself, but it took an arse to point it out further to the traumatized boy. "I'm sorry, Harry, I don't blame you. But you do realize how dangerous it was keeping that from the staff? It's not your fault at all that Sirius was injured, but by not telling anyone, other students or staff could have been hurt. Giants are no laughing matter."

"I know," Harry mumbled, looking away. "Hagrid had been taking care of him, bringing him food and toys. He just said he wanted someone else he trusted to know about it. I mean, Hagrid is technically a professor - I didn't think it would happen like this. I wish I had told one of you, because if I had, Sirius wouldn't… he wouldn't-"

"Stop it, Harry." This voice wasn't from Professor McGonagall or Remus. Harry turned abruptly to Sirius's bed, where he saw his father's eyes open and looking at him intently.

"Dad!" Harry exclaimed, rushing over as Remus and McGonagall followed. Remus was right, Sirius looked a lot better than he did last night. Madame Pomfrey had fixed all of his broken bones and healed most of the cuts and bruises that had littered his body, as well as cleaned off all the blood. Harry was immensely relieved to see him only appearing to be weak.

Sirius smirked at all of them. "Hey," he said weakly.

"How are you feeling?" Remus asked, moving over to Sirius's other side.

"Like I've been trampled on by a giant," Sirius said, shaking his head gently as if to clear it. "Also, a bit disappointed," he added shooting Remus a disapproving look that said _we'll talk later._

Remus looked back at his friend warily. "How long have you been awake?"

"I heard the entire conversation," Sirius said simply.

Harry bit his bottom lip and looked down at his feet. "Dad, I-I'm sorry-"

"I said _stop it._ " Sirius said again, his words firm, but gentle. "I'm not angry at you, and even if I were, the only reason I would have to be angry is because you lied when I asked you what was wrong yesterday. You know I expect the truth from you. Other than that, you have done nothing wrong at all."

"But if I hadn't lied, you wouldn't-" Harry began only to be cut off by his father.

"If you hadn't lied, nothing. I don't condone dishonesty, but you were trying to protect a friend, and I think that is very commendable of you. Besides, Remus and I weren't exactly honest with you either, were we? We said we were going for a stroll last night. Perhaps if we had told you we were searching for a dangerous creature causing a ruckus in the forest, you would have spoken up, but we didn't tell you that. You can't blame yourself because it is in _no way_ your fault. Do you understand me, Harry James?" Sirius said, sternly, grabbing Harry's hand and giving it a squeeze.

Harry swallowed thickly and nodded. "So… so what exactly happened? Remus didn't finish telling me."

"To be honest, I don't remember." Sirius said, shrugging. "We were walking through a clearing and I was in my dog form, then I got picked up and thrown into the air multiple times. Eventually I changed back into my human form and passed out. Not sure what happened after that…"

"For whatever reason, he put you back down on the ground… too much longer and you might not have made it…" Remus trailed off, looking down at his own feet, his eyes suspiciously teary.

Sirius looked at him for a few moments sadly, then reached up and squeezed his hand. "Thanks for getting me out of there, Rem."

Remus shook his head slowly and Sirius turned back to Harry. "Pup, can you go grab a couple of magazines in my quarters for me? If I'm stuck in here for the week, I'll need something to do."

Harry nodded, recognizing the double-meaning of Sirius's words. His father wanted a moment alone with Remus, and though Harry was reluctant to leave Sirius's side, he knew they needed it. With that, he walked out of the room, Professor McGonagall following closely behind, leaving the two remaining Marauders by themselves.

"I meant it," Sirius started again, looking intently at his friend. "Thank you for saving me. But I will say, I was not happy with what you said to Harry this morning."

"I know, Sirius, I regretted it as soon as Minerva pointed it out to me." Remus said sheepishly, looking away. "I was just angry. He knows not to lie, and if he had told the truth-"

"We would have been warned ahead of time, yes, but Harry had good intentions behind why he lied. He didn't want to betray Hagrid - it's a hard thing for someone with Harry's good heart to deal with." Sirius said sternly, meeting his old school friend's eyes. "Honestly, Moony, you're normally the level-headed one here, you should know that Harry would have never lied to us if he thought bad things would happen because of it."

"But you almost died, Sirius!" Remus exclaimed, tears filling his eyes at once. "What would I have done if you had?"

"What I would have _wanted_ you to do if that happened, was take care of and love my son. That was what consoled me when I was being tossed in the air - that at least you were okay and you could take care of Harry. Then I heard your conversation with him this morning - Remus, he blames himself for everything anyway, remember this past summer with Cedric? He definitely didn't need your confirmation of it." Sirius said, getting angry himself. "You know I wouldn't blame him and I was the one injured, so you shouldn't either."

Remus slumped dejectedly into the chair. "I know, Sirius… I just can't lose you again, damnit." Tears were freely falling down his face and Sirius lifted an arm to pull him closer. Throwing caution to the wind, Remus allowed himself to be pulled down into Sirius's embrace, truly breaking down for the first time in years.

This was how Harry found them about an hour later. Realizing they needed time to talk, Harry had sat in Sirius's quarters and finished some homework before returning with the magazines.

He walked over to the bed and his father turned his head to greet him. Remus was laying beside Sirius on the hospital bed, asleep with his head resting on his friend's shoulder.

"Guess he had a long night," Harry mumbled, placing the magazines on the table beside the hospital bed. "I always forget how hard the transformations are for him until I see him the next morning."

Sirius nodded sympathetically. "He didn't mean what he said to you this morning. It was probably Moony talking, the transformations affect him for a few days after. He wasn't himself-"

"I know," Harry said hurriedly, "I'm not angry with him or anything."

Sirius nodded in understanding. "Come here," he said simply, holding his arm out to his son.

Harry hesitated. "I don't want to wake Remus… or hurt you."

"Come here," Sirius repeated, his voice firm, despite its lingering weakness from the night before.

Harry sat on the edge of the bed and turned to face his dad, but Sirius simply grabbed his shoulder, turned him around, and pulled him against his chest. Harry rested his head against his father's shoulder like Remus had, and finally let the tears fall.

"Oh, kiddo, don't cry." Sirius said gently, kissing the top of Harry's head. "I'm okay. I'm not leaving you, puppy."

Now that Harry had started, he couldn't stop. He buried his face in the crook of his father's neck and rested there with his guardians, so happy to have his dad safely beside him again, alive and as well as he could be, considering the circumstances. He let the tears fall and gladly accepted the affection coming from his father, thankful the man was still alive to deliver it.

A/N: I just couldn't kill off Sirius (yet, you'll have to wait and see if he's safe for the whole story or not). Please review!


	47. A Father's Past

A/N: Sirius is my favorite character, and so for me, I want to establish a past and stronger personality for him than what we see in the books. That being said, this chapter goes into details of child abuse, so if that's uncomfortable for you in any form, avoid reading it. It shouldn't affect your understanding of the entire plot of the story if you skip this chapter (Although if you skip to the end, there will be an important piece of information about horcruxes). Thanks for reading and review!

Despite Madame Pomfrey's desire to keep Sirius in the hospital wing as long as possible, even she couldn't deny how quickly he had been healing. By the end of the week, he was being released and preparing to go back to his quarters.

"Hey pup, can you hand me my shirt? I'm ready to get out of these scratchy hospital pajamas." Sirius asked, pointing towards the clothes Remus had left on his nightstand the previous day.

Harry smiled and threw his dad the shirt. Sirius placed it on the bed beside him and took off the hospital shirt - the sight that Harry met wiped the smile off of his face as quickly as it had come. "Dad, where did you get those scars?" He exclaimed, not thinking about anything besides the monsters that would dare harm his beloved godfather. The scars went up and down his dad's abdomen in thin, pink lines, and looked as if they had once been pretty deep.

Sirius tensed tremendously, realizing that he had accidentally shown Harry the scars his parents left on his torso so many years ago. He immediately pulled the shirt over his head and then, once he was adjusted, he shrugged. "We've talked about my parents some, Harry. I don't like to think about it much."

Harry swallowed thickly, feeling guilty for reminding Sirius of his demons. He looked down at his feet, and heard Sirius walk closer to him, now fully dressed. "Hey now," Sirius said gently. "No looking like that, you didn't know."

Harry looked up at his dad, who was doing his best to smile and look reassuring, but he couldn't fight off the horrible feeling rising up inside of him at his father's panicked grey gaze. "What did they do to you?" He almost whispered, shaking his head. He knew his dad didn't want to talk about it, and he definitely didn't want to make him talk about it, but a part of him had to know. He had told Sirius about Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, so he hoped his godfather would do the same.

Sirius hesitated, looking down at the floor; he looked as if he were trying to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Finally, he spoke. "I will tell you if you really want to know, but I don't want to tell the story here. Let's go to my quarters and we can get some lunch."

Harry nodded and followed Sirius, but he noticed that his father's good mood had deteriorated and he was slumped over, almost looking defeated as he walked ahead. Harry felt guilty for bringing this up, especially after all the trauma his dad had endured in the last week. When they reached the charms corridor with Sirius's quarters, Harry made to change his mind. "Dad, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked-"

Sirius merely shook his head, a sad smirk playing on his handsome features. "I knew you would want to know the details eventually. I'm going to warn you though, they're gruesome."

Harry shook his head and swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I…"

Sirius ruffled Harry's untidy hair, then gestured for him to go inside. "I'll call Dobby for some lunch, why don't you relax on the couch?"

Harry frowned but walked inside the living quarters. "You're the one that should probably be relaxing, dad, you've been injured all week." Harry pointed out as they both headed towards the living room.

Sirius gave a strained smile and sat down in the arm chair across from Harry, tapping the coffee table to alert the kitchens to their food desires. "Maybe so, but I think we should discuss some things before I do that."

Harry looked up at his father wearily. He felt horrible for bringing up his dad's abuse and very apprehensive at what the "gruesome" details entailed, but he also had to admit, he was curious. His dad had hated being at Grimmauld Place so much, Harry couldn't help but wonder what stirred such strong emotions in his normally solid and confident father.

Food appeared before their eyes on the coffee table, but neither made a move to eat. Sirius took a deep breath, then gestured half-heartedly towards the lunch. "Why don't we eat some first?"

Harry looked at his father and noticed for the first time his tense posture, the way he was slumped over, as if trying to retreat into himself - Harry imagined this is what he himself had looked like a little over a year ago when Sirius and Remus rescued him from the Dursley's. For lack of better description, his godfather looked like a pitiful child, afraid of something that no one truly knew the depth of, and this frightened Harry to no end. He'd rather his father look like the strong man he knew now, the man that could outrun just about anyone and send tricky curses with the mere flick of a wand. The man he knew to be his father stood tall and looked aristocratic, and, when angered, could produce a mere facial expression so stormy, it would send some of the bravest men running. It was disorienting to see this man, a man that had survived and escaped hell on Earth, look so frightened. Harry decided he didn't like it at all - when he thought of Sirius Black, he thought of loyalty, strength, power, protectiveness, and fierce, fierce love. This vulnerability was something new altogether, and Harry wanted to take his father's pain away so badly, it was hurting him.

"Dad, you don't have to tell me-" Harry said, his voice cracking from strain.

Sirius must have realized that he was worrying his son, because he immediately sat up straight, schooling his features to take on a casual look; however, his eyes betrayed his act. The normally kind, grey eyes looked stormy and scared, and Harry knew that his father was trying to appear strong for him. Sirius shook his head as Harry opened his mouth to repeat his earlier protest. "You need to know, puppy. You told me what you went through with your aunt and uncle, and I want to trust you as much as you trusted me then. Alright? It won't be easy for me though, so all I ask is that you're patient."

Harry snapped his mouth shut again and nodded, knowing his father needed to do this, more for himself than Harry. Sirius took a deep shaky breath and gestured for Harry to start eating the lunch while he mentally prepared himself. Harry obeyed his father's request by picking up a sandwich and taking a bite out of it; as he ate it, he quietly observed his dad. Sirius had a hand covering his eyes and he was taking deep, calming breaths.

Harry had swallowed and started to protest again, not wanting to put his father through any form of misery, but before he could form a statement, Sirius had begun talking. He was speaking quietly, and his voice shook slightly, but the words rang clear in the air.

"Things were fine for me until I was about six years old. My mother and father were never affectionate people, but they gave me positive attention nonetheless. After all, I was their eldest son, and that position holds a lot of esteem in a pureblood family. However, as I grew older and developed a stronger personality, things got difficult. I have always been… er-defiant, even as a young boy. My parents didn't find my habits of running about or playing in the mud as fitting for the heir of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black." Sirius spoke the last part with spite in his voice. "Those early punishments weren't bad. A few swats on my backside or timeouts. However, as I started doing more controversial things, they got harsher. When I was six, I met a muggle girl that lived in the house beside ours. I had been playing outside at the park across from Grimmauld and she approached me. As a child, I had no way of knowing who was a muggle and who was a pureblood, so I was kind to her, and we played together for about an hour. Once my mother realized what I was doing, she rushed out of our house and yanked me back inside, berating me for my stupidity as the heir. I was… scared. Though my parents had been harsh with me, they were never extremely forceful until that day. I defended the girl when my mother told me what a vile creature she was, and that didn't help my case any. My mother called Kreacher and demanded he lock me in the kitchen cupboard. She didn't say for how long. I think I've suppressed that memory, but I just remember being terrified of the small, dark space. It was cold and… and… there was a bogart that took up residence in there..." Sirius shivered and shook his head. "I'm not sure how long I was in there, but it was definitely overnight. I know because I was crying for food by the time my father retrieved me. I remember wanting desperately for him to comfort me, but when I went to hug him he shoved me off and said being 'needy' wasn't becoming of a pureblood heir. Then, he sat me down in my bedroom and told me he was disappointed in me and that I wasn't allowed to leave the house for two weeks due to my poor choice in friends. I think that was the first time I realized my parent's weren't good people. That little girl was wonderful, and in my mind, if she was a muggle, then muggles really couldn't be as bad as my parents seemed to think they were. The punishments continued on the more I rebelled against them, and the cupboard was only the beginning of their cruelty. After using that a few times and realizing they weren't getting through to me, they resorted to other measures."

Sirius voice had gotten quiet again, and he was looking at the floor. He took a deep, shaky breath, and continued. "My parents felt that beatings were too much of a muggle practice, so they never actually laid a hand on me. They used curses instead…" Harry noticed his father's hands were shaking, and then, out of nowhere, Sirius pulled off his shirt and turned around. Harry let out a small cry at the sight that he was met with - in the hospital wing, Sirius had been facing him, so all he saw were the deep, pale, pink marks running up his stomach. Now he saw the extent of his father's scars were much worse.

Red, angry marks ran up and down his father's spine and over his shoulders. They were wide and deep, indented into his skin forever. Scars overlapped one another, showing that whatever had caused them had been used multiple times. Harry stared intensely at his dad's broad shoulders and back, feeling an aching hatred towards the Black family.

Sirius turned around and continued, his voice still shaky. "When they realized the cellar didn't work on me, they… used other dark curses. This one, as you can guess, produced similar results to if I had been whipped. That one was their favorite to use. I got it for just about any trouble I was in, whether it be something small like smiling at a muggle while we were out shopping or disgracing the Black name at some pureblood function. It was always the same - my aunts, uncles and cousins would all come over to Grimmauld Place and sit in the living room after whatever incident I had caused. I would be sat in the middle of all of them. My parents liked to lecture before they did the punishment - they would humiliate and berate me in front of the rest of my family, showing me that I truly was an outsider in all of their eyes. Then I'd have to…" Sirius shuddered, his face turning a bright shade of red, showing his embarrassment over whatever happened next.

Harry started to tell Sirius to stop, that he didn't have to share this with him, but Sirius pressed on, shaking his head to tell Harry to let him finish.

"They would make me strip down to my underwear. My family would taunt and mock me, They said things like… like 'what a shame such a pretty boy is a blood traitor,' or 'look at all those scars, surely even an idiot would learn his place after all those beatings.' My parents put me on display, making me as vulnerable as possible before making me bend over and… and…" Sirius let his first sign of weakness break through, and a few tears slipped down his cheeks, but he wiped them away hastily and pushed forward with the story. "They would curse me, which is what caused the whip marks. They would use the curse multiple times in a row, the length of the whipping depending on how intense my offense had been. That was my main punishment until my first year at Hogwarts, when I was sorted into Gryffindor and became friends with Moony, Wormtail, and your dad. Once my parents realized the years of whippings hadn't fixed their heir into the proper pureblood they expected him to be, they were horrendously angry. My mother sent me a howler describing in detail that I was the "shame of her flesh and a filthy blood traitor. She said that I was expected home for Christmas and that my father would deal with me then." A flash of a smile came across his father's features and he met Harry's eyes for the first time. "Your dad was in hysterics after he heard the howler, insisting that I come to his house for Christmas, even though I had just met him the day before. That's when I knew he would be my best friend."

After this small confession, Sirius's features turned solemn again and he looked back down at his feet. "I told James that I had to go home, but that I would be okay. I lied to my friends about the abuse, refused to let them in, show them my scars, or get help. Needless to say, I went home for Christmas break feeling utterly alone and… well, terrified. That's when…" Sirius trailed off, but he sat up a little straighter and gestured to the long, deep marks that graced the front of his abdomen. "It was a similar process to the whippings. They lectured me harshly in front of the rest of my family, made me strip down to my underwear so I would be humiliated, but instead of having me bend over, they… they made me lie flat on my back. I'm not sure what curse my father used, but it felt like a knife was running up and down my stomach very slowly, cutting deep inside me. It was some of the worst pain I had ever been in at the time. The punishment lasted hours, each of the scars taking thirty minutes to get as deep as they were. After that, my family left me laying there, putting some gauze over my injuries to keep me from bleeding out… though I'm not sure why they took that precaution, they seemed to despise me." Sirius spat out the last part, shaking his head bitterly. "After that, all of the attention was on my younger brother. I was constantly reminded that he was the better son, that I was a worthless blood traitor, but thankfully that incident at the beginning of the break was the only one of its kind. After that, I stayed in my room, hidden away, only leaving to get food."

Sirius was shaking at this point and Harry couldn't take it any longer - he had held off on comforting his dad because he wasn't sure if that's what his father needed, but he couldn't help it at this point. He walked over to the arm chair his dad was sitting in and pulled him up, then hugged him as tightly as he could, trying to remind his father of where he was, trying to pull him out of the deep depths of his painful childhood memories. After a few moments, strong and warm, but trembling arms encircled Harry, and he felt his father kiss the top of his head. "You don't have to keep going," Harry mumbled, resting his cheek against the warm, bare flesh of his father's shoulder.

"Yes, I do," Sirius whispered, pulling out of the hug and cupping Harry's face. "You did it for me. I need to finish what I've started, pup."

Harry swallowed thickly and nodded, but pulled his dad over to the couch where he was sitting. He leaned against Sirius, trying to convey to his father how much he loved him, wanting to give the man moral support so he could finish his story. Sirius smiled wearily at his son, but then looked to the floor again.

"When I returned to Hogwarts that year, I was a wreck and my friends figured it out immediately. James did everything he could to keep me from returning to my parents, but there wasn't much that could be done - my family was the most powerful wizarding family in the world. I got to go spend Christmas with the Potters every year after that, and a few weeks during the summer, but I spent the next five years with my parents, nonetheless. However, when they realized that people were concerned about my scars, they resorted to using curses that wouldn't leave marks. My father often attempted to use the imperius on me, but I could fight that one off fairly easily. They used the cruciatus curse for more intense offenses, but for the most part they just kept me locked in my room. Fifth year, I decided I'd had enough. My father had used the cruciatus on me that morning for ten minutes, and I was trembling and crying and I had injured myself trying to fight the pain... there was so much blood on the ground from where I had clawed at my skin… I couldn't stand it anymore. I used the mirror to tell James I was coming and then I left. I never went back until this year…" Sirius finally mumbled, slumping back against the couch.

His father's shirt was still off, and Harry couldn't stop looking at the long scars that adorned his stomach. He felt tears prick his eyes, and hatred rose in him towards Walburga and Orion Black. If they hadn't already died, Harry would have personally killed them.

As he brooded, Harry felt his father stroke his hair gently. Harry looked up at him questioningly and was met with kind, grey eyes. The panic and fear had receded, and now Sirius just looked exhausted. "Dad… I…" Harry began, only to be cut off by Sirius.

"It doesn't matter, puppy." Sirius kissed the top of Harry's head tenderly before sitting up and grabbing his shirt, throwing it back over his shoulders and hiding the nasty scars. "I think I'm going to go take a nap or something, we can have dinner later."

"Dad, wait." Harry said, standing up next to his father and blocking the path to his room.

Sirius smiled at Harry kindly, but shook his head. "I relived those memories everyday in Azkaban, kiddo. That wasn't something new for me. I'll be fine, I just need an hour or so. Okay?"

Harry hesitated, but finally nodded and reached out to hug Sirius one last time. "I love you, dad."

He felt his father stroke his hair with one hand while the other wrapped firmly around him. "I love you too, puppy. Do some homework in here until I come back, okay?"

Harry nodded and went back to his place on the couch to start a potions essay while his father retreated into his bedroom to rest. However, Harry couldn't focus on his work - all he could see were the pink scars that stretched all over his father, daily reminders of what his parents had done to him. He shivered, now realizing that his dad knew exactly what he had gone through with the Dursley's, if not worse.

Hot tears pricked his eyes as he thought of the young, handsome Sirius Black James Potter had known - the one with so much passion and fire in him for doing good and for having fun. His dad was so strong to be able to endure such a hard home life and still be so fun-loving.

Harry buried his face in his hands, feeling grief overwhelm him, grief for the man he had come to know, the man who taught him what love really was, despite having one of the worst lives imaginable. He let out a choked sob, but before he could break down fully, the couch dipped a little and a warm, familiar hand was stroking through his hair.

"Forgive me, puppy," his father's voice said, close to his ear. "I should have realized that story would upset you, I don't know why I left you alone."

Harry felt another sob rack his body as his father pulled him close; he felt so, so guilty for the entire thing. He brought it up, he wanted Sirius to tell him, and now Sirius was so worried for him that he couldn't recover properly. "I-I'm sorry, dad." Harry choked out in between his tears, but Sirius merely shushed him, pulling him closer.

Once Harry had managed to regain his composure, he looked up at Sirius sheepishly. This was the second time he had broken down in a week over his father, when Sirius hadn't seemed upset at all. Before he could attempt to apologize again, Sirius shook his head. "This helps me more than it helps you, okay? I went to my room then realized I wouldn't feel any better until I had you close again. I came out here of my own violation, I promise." He said gently, tucking Harry's head under his chin and holding him.

Harry nodded and looked around the room, trying to think of something to say to ease the heavy tension from the day's events. Luckily, his dad did that for him:

"I'd say we're some pretty unlucky bastards, huh?"

Harry chuckled and shook his head, his heart-lifting at his father's easy-going manner. "I don't think so," Harry said after a moment, looking up at his dad with conviction. "I have you as my parent, I'd say that makes me pretty lucky."

Sirius smiled tenderly at Harry and kissed the top of his head gently. "And that is exactly why I came back out here, you know just how to make me feel better. We'll get through this puppy…" He added the last part hesitantly, but Harry knew his dad would do anything and everything to fulfill the promise of a happier life for them both.

The two stayed curled up together for a little bit longer before Sirius got up. "Alright, I'm a week behind on lessons from the Grawp incident, so I should probably figure something out for you guys to do tomorrow in class… and you should probably work on that potion's essay. I'll call for some dinner while we work, okay?"

Harry nodded, then turned back to his paper. "I have a lesson with Dumbledore tomorrow too, apparently it's pretty important."

Sirius nodded in understanding. "He's asked Remus and I to accompany him next weekend on a mission." At Harry's panicked look, Sirius was quick to add, "It's nothing dangerous, just extracting an object from an old house. He thinks it will help in the hunt for horcruxes. If Voldemort made seven and you've destroyed two, we need to find the rest soon."

Harry nodded and turned his attention back to his homework, content to have a peaceful evening with his father before the hectic week started.


	48. Tom Riddle's History

A/N: Sorry for the long time since my last update, I've had writer's block! I think I know where I'm going with this now though, so (hopefully) it won't take a few weeks for the next update! Review and enjoy!

The morning following Sirius's confessions was a Monday, and Harry planned to begin the Defense Club meetings that week, on top of his own private lesson with Dumbledore that evening. Though Harry had been excited about his first Order mission over the summer, the tension with Ron hadn't quite gone away from the prefect party, and he wasn't exactly looking forward to leading the group with him. Things had, in fact, been so awkward between the two that Harry often took to spending time in Sirius's quarters or in the library with Hermione to avoid his other friend.

Sirius and Remus had been having their own problems as well, both concerning the horcruxes and how they would handle the situation if Harry turned out to be one. It was with this idea in mind that Dumbledore set up a time for them to meet the coming weekend and continue on the search for the deadly objects.

In the meantime, classes continued on for that day as planned. The students were happy to have Sirius back and were relieved to see that the rumors of him being ripped apart by a giant were only partially true.

"Now, I know this isn't Defense class, but charms can be very useful in a duel - there are charms that won't bring substantial harm to the victim, but will buy you precious time to either escape or retaliate with something more brutal. I would like a volunteer to help demonstrate this idea in a mock duel - not to worry, I won't use anything harmful." Sirius added at the end with a smirk, seeing his fifth year class's worried faces.

A few Gryffindor girl's hands shot in the air, but Sirius had other plans. "Mr. Potter, if you will," he said, motioning for Harry to come up and join him.

Harry rolled his eyes, but stood nonetheless and walked to the front of the room. Sirius and him stood about ten feet apart, and Sirius gave him a small wink before turning back to the class. "Now, I'm going to have Mr. Potter attack me, and then I'm going to use a charm to buy myself time. Typically after you do this, you would want to follow up with another spell or run, but since this is just practice I want to demonstrate the idea. Ready, Mr. Potter?"

Harry nodded and prepared himself. Sirius had been training with him all summer, so he felt fairly confident he would be able to read his father's movements; however, he didn't want to mess up the demonstration.

"Attack me, okay? Nothing too crazy now… 1, 2-" Sirius began, but was immediately cut off by stunner being sent his way. Taken aback, he blocked the stunner, then shouted "Rictumsempra!" Harry immediately doubled over with laughter when the tickling spell hit him - he had been expecting a more difficult charm than one they had learned in second year.

Sirius left the charm on his son, a smug grin playing on his features - he wasn't mad that Harry started without letting him finish the countdown, but this would show him not to try and make a fool of his father in a public place. "So that is something, I believe, you all learned in second year, but it can be easily used to your advantage if you have accuracy when firing it. I now have time to run, fire another spell, or make fun of my opponent without them being able to do anything. There are many-"

"Prof-Prof-Siri-" Harry choked out, trying to get past his laughter to tell his father to let up on the spell. Sirius wasn't having any of it though.

"Tut-tut, Mr. Potter. I'm trying to teach a lesson here," Sirius said with mock solemnity, causing the rest of the class to burst into laughter as well. He lifted the charm off of Harry, still sporting the smug smile, and motioned for him to sit back in his seat. Harry gave him, what he hoped, was a threatening glare, but did as he was told.

"As I was saying," Sirius said cheerfully, ignoring Harry's glare with ease, "There are many charms that you can use to fulfill this purpose. I'll list them up on the board, and I want you all to pair up and practice using them to your advantage. Again, use nothing more than weak stunners if you're on the offensive, I don't want any of you to go to the hospital wing - I've been in there all week and I can tell you, it's not fun. However," Sirius added as the students paired off and went to separate ends of the room, "If you have the desire to try out more difficult defense spells, I believe there is a defense club starting up tomorrow evening. I suggest you all attend, and talk to Mr. Potter about it if you have any questions."

Harry blushed as multiple girls looked at him and giggled. Sirius smirked to himself as he noticed his son's blush, knowing that he wouldn't have a happy boy in his quarters for dinner that evening. He decided it was worth it when Harry got hit with another tickling spell by Hermione, due to him not paying attention because of his embarrassment.

When the lesson was over and everyone was moving onto their next classes, Harry stormed up to the front of the classroom. "Dad!" He exclaimed, crossing his arms and glaring at Sirius.

Sirius gave him a gentle smile and leaned back against the desk. "That's Professor Dad, to you."

Harry rolled his eyes and slumped in his seat. "I'm glad to have you back from the giant attack, but I didn't realize you would try and prank me so quickly… and in front of everyone!"

Sirius walked over to his son and ruffled his hair. "Once a Marauder, always a Marauder, kiddo. Now, Professor Moony won't be very happy if you don't get over to his class soon, so I suggest you get a move-on."

Harry chuckled and shook his head before standing up and walking out of the classroom, leaving a bemused Sirius in his wake.

* * *

"Good evening, Harry," Dumbledore said kindly as Harry stepped into his office.

"Good evening, professor," Harry returned politely, trying to ignore the rumbling in his stomach. Dumbledore wanted an earlier lesson for that evening, and it happened to run right through dinner. Sirius, of course, would have food prepared in his quarters afterward, but all the same, Harry's body was on a schedule.

Dumbledore smiled and motioned for Harry to sit down across from him. Once he had taken his place, Dumbledore began to speak. "When we last met, we were interrupted, but I was going to show you a clue I had on Tom Riddle's history - his parents and ancestry. Since then, I have discovered more convincing evidence of this, and have made plans with Sirius and Remus to locate a family artifact that I believe to be a horcrux. I'll tell you more about that in a moment, but I want you to know the only reason I didn't ask you to accompany me on this trip is because I believe you will be needed her for the first quidditch match of the season. You have proven yourself very capable in the last year, Harry."

Harry nodded, flushing slightly at the compliment, then listened as the professor continued. "As I told you before, I believe Voldemort made seven horcruxes, and thus far we have destroyed two, and possibly three after this weekend. That leaves four others, and I believe they are connected to the Hogwarts Houses, but again, I'll explain that in a moment."

"Instead of making you look at the memory in the pensieve again, I'm just going to explain Riddle's family history to you. He comes from a line of muggles on his father's side, the Riddle's; his wizarding ancestry, however, is most noble, as you discovered your second year. He is a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin from the Gaunts. Merope, Voldemort's mother, was one of two children of the Gaunt family - her father believed her to be a squib, and didn't place much of his attention upon her. He was actually rather cruel to her, since she fancied a muggle boy in the neighboring town. I'm sure you can guess who that muggle boy was, Harry." Dumbledore said, piercing the boy with his light blue gaze.

"Tom Riddle Sr., sir," Harry mumbled, earning a nod from Dumbledore.

"Precisely - however, he did not know she even existed." Dumbledore returned.

"Then, how did they have a child?" Harry asked, confused.

"That is, I believe, most important in explaining why Voldemort is the way he is now." Dumbledore said quietly. "You see, Merope's brother and father were arrested and sent to Azkaban for crimes against muggles, and they left her alone in their house. Knowing that her father would be furious if he found out, she took his absence to her advantage and created a love potion to give to Tom Riddle Sr. He took it and they lived together for a short amount of time - soon, Merope Gaunt was expecting. I don't know whether she felt guilty about drugging her love, or perhaps she believed that he had been under the potion long enough that he would love her unconditionally. Whatever, her thought process, she took him off of the potion and he left her immediately. Soon, her father returned from Azkaban and disowned her in his anger. She had nowhere to go, and not long after giving birth to Tom, she died from an illness. Young Tom grew up in the orphanage I showed you during our last lesson, unable to love or show kindness to anyone." Dumbledore finished solemnly.

"So… he was unable to love because…" Harry started quietly, thinking about all he had just heard.

"Because he was conceived under a love potion." Dumbledore finished for him, nodding. "So that's why you're able to deceive him so easily - you possess within yourself what he is incapable of understanding. You can love so deeply - your mother ensured that when she died for you."

Harry nodded, and thought for a few more moments. "Sir, that is interesting, but what does that have to do with the horcruxes?"

"Ah, I'm getting to that. I believe that Merope and her family had a ring - a symbol of their ancestry, that Voldemort turned into a horcrux. It would be found in the house that Merope grew up in - it has long been uninhabited, so I plan to take Sirius and Remus there to help me find it. If we find it and destroy it, that means that we have gotten rid of three total, which leaves four others." Dumbledore said confidently.

"What do you think they are?" Harry asked, trying to figure out where he fit into the whole picture.

"I believe," Dumbledore started carefully, looking slightly anxious, "that Voldemort wanted a few things relating to the different Hogwarts houses. The locket was an artifact of Salazar Slytherin, as you discovered. I don't believe he ever managed to get a Gryffindor artifact, but I do think he had something of Ravenclaw and something of Hufflepuff. I also think his snake is one… as for the last one, I have suspicions, but we aren't sure yet." He finished vaguely.

Harry nodded, though he was tempted to press farther into the suspicions. "So what would you like for me to do, sir?"

"I want you to continue teaching your defense lessons and training with Sirius - these things will prove to be vital in time. I also would like for you to do some research among your fellow students, and discover what artifacts are of vital importance of the different houses. Maybe talk among the house ghosts too. I have my suspicions on what these might be as well, and if there is any chance that these artifacts are still in the school, I would like to get rid of them as soon as possible. I think Rowena Ravenclaw had a diadem, and in my mind, this would be appealing to Voldemort. Helga, I'm afraid, I'm less sure of - again, that's where you come in." Dumbledore said, the twinkle returning to his eyes.

Harry nodded and stood to leave, but Dumbledore motioned for him to stay a little longer. "One more thing, Harry. Please be careful when out in Hogsmeade - there are still Death Eaters hiding among the ministry. Malfoy, for example, still holds his prestigious post, despite Cornelius being fired. He's one of Voldemort's spies in the government. If he plays his cards right, he could get to you very easily. Be on the lookout, okay?"

Harry was extremely unsettled by Dumbledore's revelation, but nodded nonetheless and made his departure. He had promised his father he would return to his quarters after the lesson and update him on what he had learned, so he made his way towards the charm's corridor.

When he walked into Sirius's quarters, he plopped down at the table and called out for his godfather.

"Coming!" Sirius yelled from his bedroom. Harry shrugged and dug into the food that had magically appeared in front of him, now starving.

Remus and Sirius both emerged from his bedroom a few minutes later, and Harry's raised his eyebrows at them, surprised.

Sirius barked a laugh and ruffled his son's hair as he moved to sit beside him at the table. "Hey now, it's not what you're thinking. Remus was trimming my hair."

"Trying to make the old dog look less scruffy," Remus said light-heartedly, sitting down on Harry's other side and digging into his plate of food.

"Er- Okay, sure." Harry said, shaking his head and continuing to eat.

"Anyway, how was your lesson with Dumbledore?" Sirius asked.

"It was… interesting. He wants me to look into important artifacts of the different Hogwarts houses. He thinks there might be a chance Voldemort turned those into horcruxes and perhaps they're still in the school too. He also thinks his snake is a horcrux, the one I saw in my dreams last year? He says he has suspicions about the last one too, but he wouldn't tell me. Do you two know anything?" He asked, turning to look at his father, who was now coughing on the food he had just eaten.

While Sirius composed himself, Remus took over. "Dumbledore isn't really sure about the last horcrux, Harry, so that's probably why he isn't telling anyone. The others are pretty obvious really - the man was obsessed with Hogwarts and pureblood heritage, of course he would want prestigious artifacts from the different houses. The snake is also fairly obvious, so was the Slytherin locket and the family heirloom ring. The diary… well, we know it's a horcrux now, but it was a strange one. The last one could be equally as strange, so that's why he's probably keeping it to himself for now."

Harry nodded, satisfied with his answer, but Sirius still looked distressed. "What's wrong, dad?" Harry asked, concerned.

Sirius perked up, as if not realizing that he had been looking downcast. "Oh, nothing. Just talk of all these terrible things at dinner. Why don't you tell Moony about how I pranked you in class today?"

Harry rolled his eyes and soon, the mood was much lighter, but the "unknown" horcrux was still weighing heavily on Sirius and Remus - soon enough the time would come to know whether the theory was true or not, and neither were ready for that day.


	49. The Ring and the Diadem

A/N: So these next few chapters are about to set up for something huge - get ready! Sorry its been taking me so long, I've been trying to decide the direction I'm taking this story, but I've got it together now. Read and review please! Also, one quick other thing - I read over my stories myself before I publish them, so if you see small grammar mistakes (Mrs. Granger v. Miss Granger) it's because I wasn't consciously looking for that. I care more about whether or not the grammar allows the story to be read correctly and understood. I am at a university and know that the difference between Mrs. and Miss is whether or not a woman is married or not, and I am aware that Hermione is not married in my story. I will try my best to remember this in future chapters when I'm proof-reading, but I'm not going to scour through this entire story to try and fix every single mistake I've made. I'm sorry if it bothers anyone because I am the same way when I read a story and notice a mistake like that.

"Okay everyone, as you've heard, Voldemort has returned and we need to be able to fight and defend ourselves. That's the point of this group." Harry started, pacing in front of the large number of students assembled around him. "We're going to start small and work ourselves up. So today we'll just practice _expelliarmus."_

"We learned that first year though!" A third year Slytherin exclaimed.

Harry took a breath and turned to face him. "This spell has saved my life quite a few times now. Don't underestimate its power - not to mention, it will spare you from becoming a murderer yourself. We need to be better than them, we need to avoid killing at all possible." This was a lesson Sirius had taught him from being in the Order the first time around, and Harry wanted to stick to it. If it was a motto his parents, godfather, and Remus used, then he wanted to use it too.

The third year boy looked exasperated, but everyone nodded nonetheless and got in position to begin.

"Good - just aim to disarm each other, we'll start dueling later in the term once everyone is caught up to similar levels." Harry said, walking around the room as the other kids started practicing.

The lesson went by with no major occurrences, and soon Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were heading back to the common room. Fred and George had left after the lesson to try and pull a prank on Filch, but told the four they would meet them in the common room later.

"That was a brilliant lesson, Harry. I'm glad we decided to include all houses, maybe this will discourage the Slytherin's with Death Eater relatives to go dark-" Hermione began, cut off by Ron.

"Yeah, or give them the opportunity to tell You-Know-Who exactly what the Boy-Who-Lived is planning." Ron said with disgust, shaking his head.

Harry bit his lip - both of them had a point, but they had taken precautions to avoid Ron's theory. Hermione had made an enchanted parchment: once signed, no one on the list could disclose DA secrets without having something dreadfully awful happen to them.

"Come off it, Ronald," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Most of the people in there seem to be harmless, and there's also the parchment. We'll be fine."

"Yeah," Ginny affirmed, nodding. "Hey, Harry, do you think next week we can learn the bat-bogey hex? I would love to practice on Ron - maybe he'll learn to fear someone who's actually a threat."

Harry snickered, and Ron rolled his eyes. "Fred and George taught you that one anyway, it doesn't scare me. Shouldn't you be snogging one of your boyfriends anyway?"

Ginny bristled, and Harry felt oddly jealous at Ron's words. He had never considered Ginny to be much more than his best mate's sister, but recently he'd been noticing little things about her that appealed to him; her unwavering confidence, especially on the quidditch pitch, her natural ability to perform defense spells, her silky, red hair…

Harry was brought out of his reverie by Ginny storming away and Ron's shrieks. Apparently the two had gotten into an argument over Ginny's romantic life and she had hexed him.

"Honestly, Ronald!" Hermione was saying, attempting to do the counter-curse on his hurt arm. "I don't know why you provoke her; she's fourteen, she can date whomever she wants."

"And Dean too! Of all people!" Ron was grumbling, looking angrily at the direction his sister had departed. "We've lived with him for five years and he decides he wants to snog my sister! Talk about betrayal, right Harry?"

Harry's face flushed and he started to feel slightly guilty at his own traitorous feelings. "Er… yeah, can't believe that."

Truly, Ron hadn't exactly been the most loyal friend to him recently - with the way he behaved during the tournament and then when he was chosen to be a prefect, Harry didn't feel quite so bad about having a crush on his sister. Still though, he was Ron's friend first, and he didn't want to do anything to damage that. Besides, if Ginny was dating Dean, Harry had no chance anyway.

With a significantly heavier heart, Harry followed his two friends into the common room to begin their large pile of homework that evening.

* * *

The weekend came quickly, and Harry found himself in his father's quarters, preparing to say goodbye to them before they went on their mission with Dumbledore. He was nervous - with the giant incident still fresh in his mind, Harry didn't want to risk his father or Remus's life again.

"Harry, have you heard a word we've said?" Remus asked, his eyebrow raised and amusement playing on his features.

"Er… sorry, just thinking." Harry said, giving his head a shake and looking up at Sirius and Remus intently.

Sirius sat beside him on the couch, his face full of concern, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?

Harry nodded, "yeah, I'm fine. What were you saying?"

Sirius's facial expression clearly showed that he didn't believe him, but he allowed Remus to continue. "We'll be back tomorrow afternoon, unless something happens, which Dumbledore isn't expecting. You're planning to spend the weekend in here?"

Harry nodded, and Sirius spoke. "Good, if you want to go anywhere, get Ron and Hermione. I know that you're fifteen and can handle your own, but Dumbledore is concerned about certain things regarding the prophecy. Voldemort still doesn't know the full contents of the prophecy, and needs you to retrieve it for him. We don't want that to happen."

"He can't get me in here though, can he?" Harry asked, slightly surprised at his father's strict demeanor.

"I think your first year proved that he has his ways of getting inside the castle." Sirius said grimly. "But no, you're as safe as possible here, especially in this room. Dumbledore is just concerned that death eaters still hiding within the ministry could work there way to you… Lucius Malfoy is still a respected member of the ministry, despite the change in power. Only the Order knows he's a death eater, and we don't have the… er, substantial proof to build a case against him. If he gets in Hogwarts, he could take you under orders from the Minister or something other rubbish and we wouldn't be able to get you back. At least if there were more of you, you'd have a better fighting chance."

"The point is, try and stay in here as much as possible." Remus said, nodding towards the kitchen. "You have all the access to food you need, and you can invite your friends in here. If you need some fresh air, make sure you don't go alone."

Harry hated all the restrictions that were being placed on him, as if he were a child, but he nodded his agreement anyway and allowed his dad to kiss him once on the head before they departed for their mission.

* * *

"This is it," Dumbledore spoke quietly as they approached the run-down house. "The Gaunt house."

The three had apparated to the local village after leaving Hogwarts, and were now approaching the house that was once shared by Merope and Morfin Gaunt. Dumbledore hadn't given Remus and Sirius any instructions other than to follow him.

Once they reached the front porch, Dumbledore signaled for them to stop. "If this ring is what I believe it to be, then I'm going to need to you two to watch my every move. Yes, it's a horcrux, and horcruxes are extremely dangerous, but I think it could be something more than that. If I attempt to touch it, put it on, or do anything other than destroy it and remove the pieces from the house, stop me. I don't care how much I beg and plead with you, don't let me do anything except destroy the ring, and take the remaining pieces."

Sirius and Remus shared a confused look, but nodded nonetheless and prepared to enter the old house. Dumbledore performed some spells to determine any dark curses surrounding the front of the house, and when none were detected, signaled for Sirius and Remus to follow him inside.

"Now, be careful and don't touch anything. Just look, the ring will be in here somewhere." Dumbledore instructed, moving towards the back of the house as Sirius and Remus began on the front.

"Maybe one of us should go with him," Remus suggested, eyeing his old headmaster. "He said not to let him do anything with the ring… what if he finds it first?"

"Good idea," Sirius said, nodding. "I'll go, you look up here. Be careful, okay?"

Remus assured him that he would and Sirius bounded off after Dumbledore. When he arrived in the small room Dumbledore was situated in, he was shocked at the sight. The older man was convulsing, and he held a small ring in his hand.

"REMUS!" Sirius shouted, rushing forward and levitating the ring out of Dumbledore's hand. He grabbed the Sword of Gryffindor out of his bag, in which they had stored it, and slammed it down on the ring, effectively destroying the horcrux. A large cloud of black smoke erupted out of it and fell over Dumbledore and Sirius, the voice of Voldemort ringing in their ears.

"Sirius! What happened?" Remus asked, rushing in the room and running to Dumbledore's side, who was now lying on the ground.

"He found the ring before I got in here! Damnit, it's like he knew exactly where it was," Sirius said, a hint of panic in his voice when he noticed how pale and still the old headmaster was.

"Need… Severus," Dumbledore spoke quietly, allowing Remus to lift him up as best as he could.

"We need to get him to Hogwarts," Remus said, reaching for the emergency portkey he had in his bag. "Wrap that horcrux in something and bring it back with us. Let's go."

Sirius nodded, and collected the things, before grabbing onto the portkey as well and letting it throw them back to Hogwarts.

* * *

Harry had been doing research all day - it was the only way to keep himself from brooding over Sirius and Remus's whereabouts. He hadn't heard a word from them since they had departed, though that hadn't been long ago, and he couldn't help but worry about what exactly they would find in the ancient house.

To combat this, he had gone through Sirius and Remus's books, with help from Hermione and Ron, who had scoured the library, to attempt to find out what the Ravenclaw horcrux could be. Of course, Ron and Hermione didn't really know that they were looking for a horcrux, as Dumbledore had instructed Harry not to tell them quite yet. They just knew it was something relating to Ravenclaw House and it was important.

By dinner that evening, the three were exhausted and frustrated from not having found anything.

"How is Dumbledore so sure of all this anyway?" Ron grumbled as he shoved food into his mouth.

"Ronald, please." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "He knows what he's doing, we just have to keep looking tonight-"

"What are you three looking for?" Luna asked, walking up to the Gryffindor table. "Wrackspurts flying near an object often signify that it's important-"

"That sounds fascinating, Luna, but it's not really helping us any." Hermione said gloomily.

"Wait, Luna, you're in Ravenclaw!" Harry announced, getting her attention. "Is there any object that was extremely important to Rowena?"

"Her diadem of course!" Luna said, with a smile. "No one alive has seen it, but the Grey Lady could probably tell you - that's our house ghost."

Harry looked at Hermione and Ron with a smug grin. "Thanks, Luna! That helps us."

Ron looked bewildered as Luna walked away. "What, we're supposed to go ask the creepiest ghost of Hogwarts about some crown that no one alive has even seen before? We don't even know if it actually exists!"

"It's the only lead we've got, and it's important." Harry insisted, beginning to feel slightly hopeful, despite the worry lingering in his heart about his guardians. If they could just destroy all of the horcruxes, Harry believed he had a fighting chance against the monster when the time came.


	50. Rowena's Lost Diadem

A/N: Alright guys, get ready. Read and Review!

Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited until later that evening to find the grey lady. After talking to Luna a bit more, they found out that she was rather shy, and decided that once they found her, Harry would be the one to try and talk to her.

At ten that evening, the trio snuck out under Harry's invisibility cloak and walked through empty corridors, searching for her. They passed multiple ghosts, including the Baron and Nearly Headless Nick, but couldn't seem to find the timid Ravenclaw ghost. At a quarter until midnight, they were contemplating returning to the common room, when Hermione saw movement out of her right eye.

"Guys," she whispered, nodding towards the figure floating through the next corridor. "There she is… go Harry."

Harry slipped out of the cloak and followed her quietly, making his steps loud enough to let her know of his presence but not frighten her. "Excuse me, Helena?" he said gently.

She regarded him for a moment before floating down to another corridor.

"Wait!" Harry called, chasing after her. "Wait… can I… can I ask you something?"

"All you boys are the same… can't you see I want to be alone?" She said, a bite of impatience in her voice.

"It's important," Harry insisted, feeling his spirits fall a bit. Nevertheless, he persisted. "Do you know anything about Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem?"

She looked as if he had insulted her, and immediately started to float away again.

"No, please! I… I want to destroy it! That's what you want, right? I can tell you don't like it." Harry tried, chasing her again.

"That's what the last boy said… he said he would destroy it. He didn't though… HE DEFILED IT." She shouted, rushing through Harry with force, sending cold chills through his entire body.

"I know, that's why I want to destroy it," Harry said, turning around and chasing her. "He… he killed my parents, I want to help get rid of him. This will help do that. Don't you want me to?"

Helena regarded him for a moment before she sighed. "I stole my mother's diadem. I was jealous of her wisdom and wanted it for myself. Guild-ridden, I fled Hogwarts. My mother became fatally ill after that and wanted to see me, so she sent the Baron to find me. I refused to come back with him so he stabbed me, then stabbed himself. That's how the diadem was lost… but then that _boy_ charmed me, sweet-talked me into telling him where the crown was and… then he defiled it. You really will destroy it?"

"Yes, I promise! Just tell me where it is and I will," Harry begged.

"It is here, in the castle, in the place where everything is hidden. If you have to ask, you will never know. If you know, you need only ask." She finished mysteriously before floating away.

Harry had only a moment to contemplate her words before he heard an angry voice calling his name. He spun around to face his livid father, standing at the other end of the corridor.

"Dad!" Harry exclaimed, feeling both relief and fright coursing through him. He was happy to see his dad had made it back from his mission, but well aware that he appeared to have broken the main restriction placed on him for the weekend.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Did you listen to anything we told you?" Sirius began, advancing towards his son. "First, you're walking around the castle alone. Second, do you have any idea what time it is? You could be killed, you could-"

"Dad, wait please! I have a good reason, I know where another horcrux is!" Harry exclaimed in a desperate attempt to console his enraged father.

Sirius faltered a bit, but he features stayed angry. "Damn it, Harry, that's not worth me losing my son over! A bloody horcrux! What if some students decided to attack you, or a death eater on "ministry business" broke in? What would I have done? I can't lose you."

Harry looked down at his shoes, feeling defeated. He didn't want to get Ron and Hermione in trouble, so he decided to take the scolding and attempt to calm his father down enough to go get the horcrux.

"He's not alone!" Hermione said, stepping out from under the cloak. Soon Ron followed her, draping the cloak over his shoulder gently. "Luna told us that the Grey Lady knew where one of Ravenclaw's artifacts is, so we went to find her tonight… so it's a horcrux then? That thing that Dumbledore was talking about at Grimmauld?"

Harry winced and looked up at his dad guiltily, knowing Ron and Hermione weren't supposed to know about the horcruxes in the first place. Sirius still didn't look pleased, but his initial anger was gone at seeing that Harry didn't directly disobey him.

"I can't tell you that, Hermione." Sirius said, not taking his eyes off Harry. "Though I'm glad you three had enough sense to come out here together. You two, take the cloak and get back to Gryffindor Tower. Harry, come with me."

Harry nodded and followed Sirius as his two friends concealed themselves again. Sirius stopped at the next corridor over and looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was around. "You're still in trouble," he said quietly to Harry. "You should have waited until we got back and you and I could have gone to find her. You don't have to do this alone, Harry."

Harry huffed and looked away, not wanting to meet his father's gaze. "I will have to eventually, isn't that what the stupid prophecy says?"

"Prophecies can be broken," Sirius said, grabbing Harry's chin and sharply turning his head back to look him in the eyes. "Finding these horcruxes and destroying every one isn't _only_ your job. Dumbledore wanted you to do some research, and then maybe help him once he retrieved the horcrux or found its location. I know you like being independent, but damn it, you will _not_ risk your life again - even if Ron and Hermione are with you. Do you hear me?"

At Harry's short nod, Sirius sucked in a deep breath and nodded himself. "Right then. We can discuss this more later. Show me where the horcrux is, I can dispose of it."

Harry looked up at his father with surprise, then turned and walked in the direction towards the Room of Requirement. "This way!"

They walked quickly through the corridors, then came to a blank wall. Sirius turned to Harry, who had begun pacing in front of it. "What are you doing?"

Before Harry could respond, an ornate wooden door appeared in the wall. Harry grinned smugly as he walked in, Sirius on his heels, staring around in awe.

"This is where we had our DA meeting - Dumbledore told me about it. It's called the Room of Requirement, it gives you whatever you need. The horcrux is somewhere in here…" Harry said, walking down one aisle.

The place was packed with old objects, hidden by students for centuries. Sirius followed behind Harry, scouring every detail with his eyes. "Wait, Harry what is the horcrux?"

"It's Rowena's lost diadem," Harry said, picking up an old book and moving it out of the way. Behind the book was a beautiful silver crown with a blue jewel at the top. It was sitting on a dummy's head, looking completely out of place. "Dad, this is it." Harry said, reaching out to grab it.

Sirius grabbed his arm tightly and pulled him back. "Don't touch it, the ring horcrux Dumbledore was trying to dispose of was cursed. This probably is too. I got it." He reached into his bag from earlier and pulled out the sword of Gryffindor, then brought it down hard on top of the crown. It exploded, but this time the dark cloud emanating from it encircled Harry and flew right through him, knocking him to the ground.

Sirius bit his lip, thinking of reasons as to why the horcrux would go after his son; he didn't like the theory that was coming to mind. He kneeled down and helped Harry up on his feet. "Sorry, puppy, I didn't think it would do that. Are you okay?"

Harry swallowed thickly and nodded. "So that's four down, right? Only two or three left."

Sirius nodded and grabbed the now broken crown, placing it in his bag with the sword. "Right… let's get back to my quarters, you should probably hear what happened today."

Harry wrinkled his brow as he took in Sirius's weary appearance. "Is everyone okay?"

"Er… not really, but they think he will be. Dumbledore got cursed badly when he touched that ring, Harry. Remus and I brought him back here, he's with Snape now." Sirius scowled at the mention of his childhood nemesis, but didn't say anything else about it. "We'll talk with him about this horcrux when he's better."

Harry nodded and followed his dad back to his quarters, relieved that things were finally starting to look up.

* * *

The rest of the weekend and the next week passed fairly uneventfully; Harry taught his defense lessons in the room of requirement, and the hunt for horcruxes continued. He was happy - he had his family together, his friends were getting along, and according to Hermione, Ginny was considering breaking up with Dean. The majority of the horcruxes were now destroyed, and Voldemort and his followers seemed to be keeping quiet for now; needless to say, life was pretty good, considering the war they were fighting.

However, it was a different story for Sirius. The incident with the diadem was still fresh in his mind; the way the piece of Voldemort's soul had surrounded his son once he had destroyed the object worried him, especially with Dumbledore's theory. It was for this reason, that he decided to pay the headmaster a visit one evening.

"Sirius," Dumbledore greeted warmly when he walked into the office. "I was expecting you, have a seat."

"How's your hand?" Sirius asked, looking at the charred and blackened skin that covered the older man's fingers.

"Severus has stabilized it, so it shouldn't give me any problems soon. It's hard to say what the long-term effects of that curse will be. Now, I know you didn't visit to ask me about my hand; what's troubling you?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"Well, I gave you the diadem I destroyed… but when I broke it, something happened. Voldemort's soul fragment specifically targeted Harry and knocked him out for a moment… I think I'd be a fool to keep denying the truth about something when it's looking me in the eye. I'm worried about my son, Albus… he's a horcrux, what do I do?" Sirius asked desperately, putting his face in his hands.

Dumbledore didn't respond for a moment, instead choosing to watch Sirius through his half-moon spectacles. Finally, he spoke softly. "Sirius, we don't have much of a choice here. You know as well as I do how horcruxes have to be destroyed."

Sirius looked up sharply, anger flaring in his eyes. "No, Albus. If you even consider that, I'll take Harry and run as far away from here as I can. I don't care if I'm a coward for it, I won't let you hurt him."

"Harry would understand and know he would have to-" Dumbledore started, only to be cut off.

" _No,"_ Sirius said, standing up and placing his palms on Dumbledore's desk.

"Then what are you planning to do?" Dumbledore asked, raising an eyebrow at his former student.

Sirius sighed and sat back down. "I'm going to tell him, he should be aware. After that, I'll devote the rest of my life to finding a way to remove it without killing him. I couldn't live with myself if that happened."

Dumbledore looked weary. "I don't think you should say anything-"

"And why not?" Sirius interrupted, eyes flashing.

"You've already burdened him with the prophecy, you want to hang this over his shoulders now too? You said yourself he's just a child." Dumbledore tried to reason.

"He is just a child, and he's _my_ child. I decide what's best for him, not you. He wouldn't see it as a burden, he'd want to know… he needs to know. What were you going to do? Just wait until Voldemort and him fought and then let Voldemort kill him, without even giving Harry a warning?" Sirius said, deathly quiet. "If we can remove the horcrux some other way, Harry won't even have to be the one to kill him - someone else can."

"Sirius, I implore you to see reason. There is no other way to remove a horcrux - we have to play these cards carefully-"

"Harry isn't a damn card in your game! I'm bringing him here tomorrow and we're going to tell him, and then plan from there. I care too much about him to lose him." Sirius practically whispered the last part, his voice breaking from emotion.

"I care about him too, Sirius. I truly do… I just need you to trust me. I know a way to sort this out I think, but I can't tell Harry or you. Please trust me, you'll understand in time." Dumbledore said, standing up and walking around his desk to face his former student.

Sirius surveyed him for a moment before nodding. "I'll trust you for now, but if you place my child in any danger, I'm taking him away. And no matter what, we're telling him tomorrow."

Dumbledore sighed, accepting defeat. "Okay, we'll tell him. But that puts pressure on us… we need to find the rest of the horcruxes quickly."

Sirius nodded his acceptance of the condition, bid the headmaster goodnight, then left to walk to his quarters, deciding to spend one last peaceful night with his child before the long ordeal tomorrow.


	51. The Battle of DoM - Harry's Perspective

A/N: Before you read, this chapter is going to get me a lot of hate. Read to the end, there's another author's note! Don't give up on this story until the next chapter (which I've already started writing) comes out later this week!

Sirius was extremely nervous for the rest of that evening; nervous for what tomorrow's revelation would mean for his son, and nervous as to how he would take it. Harry had destroyed two of the horcruxes so far, and thought them to be entirely evil things. Truly, Sirius was worried Harry would turn to self-loathing and try to get rid of the horcrux within himself before a solution could be found.

He couldn't bear the thought of that.

With a heavy heart full of determination, he walked into Harry's room in his quarters. Harry was lying on his bed, looking through a quidditch magazine. One look at his father's features, pinched with tension, had him jumping out of bed and moving towards him. "What's wrong? Did something happen with Dumbledore? Is his hand-"

"He's fine," Sirius rasped out, and he gestured for Harry to sit down on the bed. "He wants us to visit him in his office tomorrow morning."

Harry sat on his bed and looked up at his father curiously, but nodded nonetheless. "Is that a bad thing?"

"I… Yes, it's going to be bad news, but I can't explain it like Dumbledore can, so just trust me, okay? The world won't end, you won't be taken away from me, and it won't necessarily put us at a disadvantage in the war. It's just… a shock." Sirius said, trying his best to sound soothing when his fatherly instincts were telling him to pack Harry's things and run as far away as possible.

"You can't tell me anything about it right now?" Harry questioned, meeting his dad's grey gaze. "You tell me everything about the war, why can't this come from you too?"

"I just need to tell you with Dumbledore. He'll have my neck if I do it now. I'll keep you safe though, okay? I won't let anyone hurt you." Sirius vowed, more to himself than to Harry.

"You say that all the time," Harry said with a laugh, but it didn't have an amusing effect on Sirius - he winced at his son's words and looked away. "Dad? What's wrong?"

"I guess those words are kind of meaningless, huh?" Sirius said, dryly, looking away. "I say it all the time, but I've failed you miserably."

"What? No! Dad, it was a joke!" Harry said, nudging Sirius in his ribs. "I was trying to point out what a mother hen you were. You've done brilliantly."

This time, Sirius snorted. "Brilliantly… bollocks. Think of all the danger you've been forced into in the past year. The bloody tournament, all the times you were attacked by students, you going into ministry holding, Snape's occlumency… I've done a poor job of protecting you."

"Well, yeah… but Sirius, you've done so much more than _protect_ me. Every time something like that has happened, you've been the one right by my side helping me heal, telling me jokes, giving me potions and food. You truly are a wonderful mother-"

"Oi!" Sirius protested, smiling a little bit at his son.

Harry chuckled, but then looked his dad in the eyes. "You came out of the worst prison in the world and have devoted your life to me just because you agreed with my dead father thirteen years before that you would be my godfather. You could have escaped once you got your freedom and moved to a new country, started a new life, gotten married, and had children of your own… but instead you stay with me and care for me like your own son, despite me having a price on my head by the most deadly wizard in history. You love me… that means more to me than if you had managed to prevent a few events that harmed me from occurring."

Sirius wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders and kissed the boy's head gently. "You are my son and I do love you more than anything or anyone. Yes, you were born to James and Lily, but you're mine too, and I've always thought of you that way." Then, remembering his initial worries, his facial expression morphed from relaxed to nervous.

Harry noticed this, but decided not to comment and instead, returned his father's hug.

Sirius tightened his grip on the boy, his hold becoming desperate. He couldn't do this, couldn't accept that his child was a weapon of Voldemort's. They had to leave, he had to save his boy. He would not sit around and wait for Dumbledore's plan to play out, he wouldn't risk Harry's life for anything.

As he was preparing to voice this, Harry mumbled a question. "Will you sing?"

Sirius was shocked out of his tormented thoughts by this; he looked down at Harry, whose head was rested against his shoulder. "I thought you didn't like my singing?"

"I mean, you won't go to the opera with your voice, but you don't sound bad. Besides, I like it… you don't sing for anyone else the way you do for me. And it was my mother's lullaby. It means a lot to hear you sing it to me." Harry mumbled thickly, beginning to fall asleep.

Sirius smiled tenderly at him and readjusted the two of them so he was leaning against the headboard and Harry was situated against his side. He began to sing softly, while simultaneously rubbing swirling circles on Harry's back.

Once the song was finished and Harry had fallen asleep, he made himself more comfortable in the four poster. He was unsure of how Harry would react tomorrow, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. He couldn't take the horcrux out of Harry, but as long as the boy trusted him to be there and never abandon or betray him, he wouldn't leave his side. He loved him far too much for that, and Harry wouldn't die because of the horcrux - he would at least guarantee himself that.

So with a weary and tortured heart, he fell into a fitful sleep, awaiting the morning when he would need to wake his son for a painful conversation with the headmaster.

* * *

The morning was rough for Sirius, and the tension he was exuberating was negatively affecting Harry. When they finally made it to the headmaster's office, Sirius was a nervous wreck, and Harry was completely bewildered. There were very few things that frightened his father, so if Sirius was shaking as he approached Dumbledore's desk that morning, this was going to be bad. He just knew it.

"Harry," Dumbledore said solemnly, looking back and forth between the two. "There's something that I need to tell you… Sirius doesn't want to believe this, but it's become much more apparent in recent know how we've been hunting horcruxes?"

Harry nodded, and looked at his father, who now had his head in his hands, concerned. "Right, we've destroyed the ring, the locket, the diary, and now the diadem. That leaves… two, right? Or three? Since he split his soul into seven?"

"Not exactly," Dumbledore said, eyeing Sirius, who still hadn't looked up. "I think he meant to split his soul into seven, but he actually split it into eight. There was an unintentional horcrux that I've recently gotten quite a bit of proof on. Remember, I told you I wasn't sure about one in our last meeting?"

"Yeah…" Harry said, nodding. "So, what is it?"

"Harry…" Sirius choked out, finally looking up. His eyes were swollen red and he had a pained expression on his handsome features.

"What's wrong, dad?" Harry asked, immediately alarmed.

Sirius took a deep breath before speaking. "It's… it's… puppy, it's you. When he killed James and Lily… his soul attached to you."

Harry looked at his father incredulously for a moment, then back at Dumbledore, as if needing confirmation. At Dumbledore's nod, Harry grew angry, and turned back to his dad. "So you knew this whole time, huh? And didn't even bother to tell me?"

"We weren't sure, Harry," Dumbledore interjected, knowing that Sirius hadn't wanted to believe this for himself. "Sirius didn't want to believe it was true when I told him, and only recently has it been confirmed-"

"And why didn't you want to tell me?" Harry asked, his voice growing deathly quiet as he turned back to his father. "Because you're disgusted by me now? You didn't want to believe that I was a freak like my relatives always said? You lied to me!"

Sirius, who was normally fairly collected, was spluttering. He didn't know what to say - sure, he had expected a harsh reaction out of his son, but was definitely not expecting the anger and hatred in his child's eyes to be directed towards him.

"So what then? You're both just going to kill me off too, like we've done with the other objects? Is that all I've been to any of you? Someone to be raised to fight, to lead a little army of students, and then be killed off?"

Sirius managed to find his voice, though it cracked when he spoke. "No, Harry! Bloody hell, no, that's not-"

"Then what?" Harry yelled, anger surging. "What? I'm supposed to just keep on living while that monster lives? Isn't that what the prophecy says anyway? Neither can live while the other survives? I'm the one that has to die and you _knew_ it and you lied to me! I hate you!"

Sirius jumped from his chair as Harry ran out the office door and chased after him frantically. "Harry! Come back!"

Harry ran as fast as he could, but he knew being in the castle was no good. The Marauder's Map was in his room, Sirius could find him eventually. He needed to get out, go to Hogsmeade, get on the Knight Bus-

Turning a corner, Harry ran smack into an unfriendly face. "Malfoy," he growled as the tall man approached him.

"My, my," Malfoy senior said, a twisted grin gracing his features. "Where are your manners, Mr. Potter? I am a ministry official after all."

Harry attempted to move around him, but Malfoy caught him around his bicep and didn't let go. "As it happens," he drawled, his breath tickling the back of Harry's neck. "I'm here on ministry business. You see, the Minister needs to know the Boy-Who-Lived plans for stopping the Dark Lord, so that he can help… accommodate you."

Malfoy gave the boy a wicked smile. "Come with me, I'll return you later… perhaps."

Harry tried to call for help, but all he could do was grunt as he attempted to move out of the older man's grasp.

As if on cue, Sirius shot through the hallway and stopped dead at the scene in front of him. "Let go of my son, Malfoy," Sirius growled, holding his wand up.

Lucius placed the tip of his wand against Harry's neck. "Ah ah, not so fast. Don't worry, Black, the Ministry just needs Mr. Potter for some… private business."

Sirius faltered as the wand tip pressed harder into his son's neck. "D-don't hurt him, please." There was a note of pleading in Sirius's voice that surprised Harry - if he wanted Harry to die because he was a horcrux, why was he begging Malfoy not to hurt him? Wouldn't that just make the Order's job easier? "I'll do anything, just don't hurt him."

"Touching," Lucius said, the wicked grin playing on his features again. "Maybe we'll invite you back once Harry's done with his ministry business… The Dark Lord might be interested in your offer, we're always looking for new recruits."

"Please…" Sirius begged, looking around desperately. "Dumbledore and the other professor's are coming, just give me Harry and we'll let you go free. Don't hurt my son, please-"

"Well, then it sounds like it's time for us to leave, right Mr. Potter? Perhaps you should say goodbye to your dear father, who knows when you'll see him again." Lucius snarled, wrapping a hand around the necklace on his neck and yanking Harry's hand up to it as well.

"No!" Harry shouted, jerking away from what he assumed was a portkey and simultaneously realizing that he had forgiven his father, and knew the man hadn't meant to hurt him. "Dad!"

Sirius lunged for the two of them desperately, and attempted to grab one of their ankles, but it was too late - the portkey went off, and the they had disappeared.

* * *

"We've got to go to the ministry right now!" Sirius exclaimed, pacing back and forth in Dumbledore's office. "Malfoy's going to use Harry to get the prophecy… he'll hurt him!"

"Sirius, we can't go without a plan," Dumbledore tried to console. "We'll get to him, but we need to make sure we know what we're doing. People will be suspicious if you go rushing in there."

"That's doesn't bloody matter!" Sirius yelled, slamming his fist down on a nearby table. "My son could be being tortured right now!" A lone tear fell down Sirius's cheek as he thought about some of the last words Harry had spoken to him. "He… he said he hated me."

"Sirius, you know he didn't mean that." Dumbledore said gently. "He was rightfully angry and needed someone to take it out on, that's all."

Before Sirius could respond, McGonagall, Snape, and Remus all came bursting through the door of the office.

"Dumbledore, what has happened?" McGonagall said, looking pale.

"Harry's been taken to the ministry by Malfoy," Dumbledore said gravely. "We need to get Kingsley, Tonks, and Arthur here, and then we'll head over there. Severus," Dumbledore said, turning to him. "Find out the plans for him and report back, you know what to do."

Snape nodded and left the office without a word. Dumbledore turned to Remus. "Alert the three I just mentioned and all of you get to the ministry. McGonagall, watch over the school in my absence. I will keep you updated. Sirius, go with Remus and get to the ministry. I will meet you there once I hear from Severus."

Sirius and Remus nodded and departed immediately; however, once they got in the main corridor, Sirius took a sharp right towards the castle exit.

"Sirius, where are you going?" Remus asked, following him.

"You alert the others, I'm going to get my son." Sirius said, now breaking out into a run to get to the apparation area.

"Sirius, no, it will be better if all of us are there-" Remus started, but was cut off.

"My child, James' little boy, is being tortured right now for that damn prophecy, and you're telling me to wait? Hell no. I'm going, whether you like it or not. Just get the others and get there as soon as possible." Sirius demanded, eyes flashing dangerously.

Remus considered arguing, but knew they were wasting precious time. "Fine, but it's on your own head!" He warned.

"As long as it's not Harry's head being risked, I'm fine with that." Sirius spat before running off again. Remus watched him for a second, then went in the direction of his quarters to contact the rest of the Order. He knew that Sirius would stop at nothing to save his child, so he had to contact the Order as soon as possible and hope it wouldn't be too late.

* * *

"Go ahead, Potter, use those quidditch skills. I need you to collect that prophecy for me." Lucius drawled in the boy's ear.

"Never," Harry said, giving the man a death glare.

"Oh, you'll come around. _Crucio!"_ Lucius said with a lazy flick of his wand. Immediately Harry's body filled with the familiar burning sensation, attacking his nerves and setting him on fire. Still, he did not scream.

This had been going on for an hour now and Harry wasn't sure when it would end - he knew one thing though, he couldn't give in. He didn't learn occlumency and train for the past year and a half just for it to end so easily.

When Lucius lifted the curse, Harry vaguely registered laughing. He realized other death eaters had joined them, and among them, was Sirius's cousin, Bellatrix.

"What's wrong, ickle Potter? Trying to be a hero like daddy and mummy?" She crooned to him, a wicked grin crossing her own crazed features. "Speaking of daddy, where is my dear, blood traitor of a cousin? Decided you were too much trouble, did he?" She asked, reaching out and stroking a hand across Harry's cheek.

The next few minutes went by in a blur - one minute, he was cringing away from the evil witch, and the next she was being blown away from him and his father was running towards him.

Sirius stood protectively in front of Harry, pulling the boy to his feet and tucking him safely against his back. "You will _not_ touch my son," he growled. Harry felt the bonds that Lucius had cast on him be lifted as Sirius flicked his wand silently.

Harry pressed his forehead in between his father's shoulder blades, breathing freely again, despite the ache throughout his body from the cruciatus curse.

"Touching, truly, but we aren't done with him yet," Lucius said, stepping forward. "Now, Black, I suggest you move, or you'll soon feel the Dark Lord's wrath."

"You'll have to kill me before I move." Sirius said with determination, holding up his wand towards Lucius. The two began to duel, both using intricate wand patterns and voiceless incantations. Sirius never let go of his grip on Harry, so he was at a slight disadvantage, especially when the other death eaters began to help Lucius.

Soon, other Order members and aurors were joining the fray, and prophecies were breaking left and right - Harry hadn't grabbed the prophecy about Voldemort and him, so he wasn't sure whether or not it had been broken yet. He stayed behind his father, helping out by sending a few jinxes and hexes over his shoulder and attempting to watch behind them.

Out of nowhere, he heard an evil cackle to his right, then saw Bellatrix shoot a spell at him out of the corner of his eye. Everything went black for a moment and he had the sensation that he was falling. When he opened his eyes, he was on the ground and his dad had run off to fight Bellatrix. Harry tried to get up and go after him, but he was groggy and his head hurt, so he just managed to stand up.

As he was getting his bearings, his heart began to race. Dumbledore had appeared and managed to restrain all the Death Eaters except for Bellatrix - Sirius and her were still dueling.

Harry looked around frantically to see what the others were doing, wanting to find out why no one was helping his father. Remus was looking over an unconscious Tonks, and Kingsley was helping restrain the other Death Eaters, which to Harry's satisfaction, included Peter Pettigrew. The other aurors were near Kingsley, getting instructions on sending the people to Azkaban. Dumbledore was approaching him, but before he could say anything, he heard a spell that made his heart stop.

He turned just in time to see a jet of green light hurtling straight towards him from Bellatrix's direction; however, before either Harry or Dumbledore could react, Sirius jumped in front of it, then crumbled to the ground.

Harry stared at his father's still, unmoving body for a few seconds, expecting him to jump back up and make a joke, or continue fighting the crazed witch. Instead, he didn't move - his eyes stared above, unseeing.

Dumbledore raced to where Bellatrix was now laughing hysterically on the ground, ready to continue the fight. Harry let out a strangled sob and kneeled down next to Sirius's body.

"Dad, dad! Wake up, get up!" Harry called, jerking on his father's arm. When Sirius didn't move, Harry started to get angry - he punched the man twice in the chest, attempting to get some sort of reaction. "Dad! Bloody hell, wake up! Dad!"

Strong arms wrapped around Harry's torso and lifted him up and away from Sirius. "No, stop!" Harry shouted, pulling away from whoever was moving him. "Sirius! Sirius!"

"He won't wake up, Harry, we need to leave." Remus's voice cracked in his ear. Harry turned to face him and was met with a red face and very swollen eyes.

"I can't leave him! He's okay, we just need to get him to the hospital wing!" Harry shouted, fighting with all his might to escape Remus's grasp. "Dad! Sirius! Sirius Black! Damn it dad, get up!" Harry yanked out of Remus's arms and fell to Sirius's side, pulling on his father's robes.

"Harry, we've got to get you out of here - one of the death eaters called Voldemort, he's on his way." Remus sucked in a deep breath as he stared at his lifeless best friend. "Dumbledore's going to bring Sirius with him, you and I need to go."

"Dumbledore!" Harry exclaimed. "He'll save dad?"

Remus couldn't take it anymore - he started crying. It was hard enough to watch his best friend drop dead in front of his eyes, but to see the child that meant so much to him, the one who had already lost so much, believe that his father was merely sleeping or injured was too much to bear. "Harry, it's too late... Sirius is dead, he can't wake up. We need to go."

"HE IS NOT DEAD!" Harry shouted, getting angry; however, when he turned and looked at his father's lifeless form on the ground, his expression grew soft and hopeless. "Dad please… just move."

When Sirius continued to lie there motionless, it started to hit Harry. Sirius was always there for him, every minute of everyday. If he wasn't moving when Harry was begging and screaming for him to move, it could only mean one thing…

Harry felt his shoulders begin to sag and shake with the force of his own sobs. What does it matter if Voldemort found him and killed him? He'd do the Order a favor, he was a horcrux after all. He had to die…

… And then he'd see Sirius again.

Despite this, he felt arms surround him and carry him away, but this time he didn't fight it. He couldn't look at Sirius's lifeless eyes anymore, didn't want to relive the way his body collapsed in front of him.

He only wished his last words to the man hadn't been that he hated him. That wasn't true at all - he loved him, more than he loved anybody else. He wasn't sure what he would do now or where he would go, but he knew if his father wasn't there, he would never be happy. He choked on a sob as he buried his face in Remus robes, allowing himself to give in to his pain and heartbreak.

SUPER CRAZY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: Don't flame me! This is not what it looks like! I know it seems like we're getting to a conclusion, but we're not even close! There are more horcruxes to be found, and also a plot twist that you might catch if you read this chapter closely. A quick disclaimer: Sirius is my favorite character and I hate that he died in canon… that's all I'm going to say, but I guess just wait for the next update before you freak out and hate me for what just happened because everything is not as it seems. As always, please read and review (AND PLEASE if you want to give up on this story because of what happened just wait until the next chapter goes up, give it one last chance, and if it disappoints you, then you can quit following the story, just wait a little longer plz plz plz.) Also, if you want a happier note for a story, go check out Harry's New Home, it's a cute one about little Harry growing up with Sirius.


	52. The Battle of DoM - Sirius's Perspective

_Out of nowhere, he heard an evil cackle to his right, then saw Bellatrix shoot a spell at him out of the corner of his eye. Everything went black for a moment and he had the sensation that he was falling. When he opened his eyes, he was on the ground and his dad had run off to fight Bellatrix. Harry tried to get up and go after him, but he was groggy and his head hurt, so he just managed to stand up._

Sirius felt more than saw his son collapse behind him. He turned towards the person who had hit his child and let out a roar of anger upon seeing who it was. Not leaving Harry's side, Sirius sent curse after curse at his evil cousin until he finally managed to hit her with a _petrificus totalus._ He felt mild satisfaction at watching one of his many torturers from his childhood keel over, but that was replaced when he saw Harry lying at his feet.

"Please, no," he whispered, kneeling down and feeling for a pulse. Relief coursed through him when he found a thready and weak heartbeat. Looking around, he noticed Remus and the other Order members, having restrained the Death Eaters, were approaching them. "Someone help me!" He shouted, picking Harry up and rushing towards the others.

Dumbledore met him immediately, his eyes wide. "Sirius, what happened?"

"Bellatrix… she hit him with some strange spell… he just collapsed and I don't-"

"DAD!" Harry shouted, jerking forward and almost falling out of Sirius's arms.

"Harry? Puppy, can you hear me?" Sirius asked, kneeling down again and gently shaking him.

When Harry didn't respond, Sirius looked up desperately to Dumbledore. The man had a grim expression on his face as he motioned for Sirius to follow him. "Let's get him to Poppy… I think I may have a theory on what's wrong."

Sirius nodded and followed Dumbledore quickly out of the ministry; Remus and Tonks went with them, leaving Kingsley and the other aurors behind to sort out the Death Eaters. When they got to the ministry lobby, Sirius gripped his son tightly against his chest, as to avoid any lingering ministry workers, and apparated them to just outside of Hogwarts.

Running as quickly as they could, the four made their way to the hospital wing. Sirius laid Harry gently on a nearby bed, then turned to call for the matron.

"What happened?" Pomfrey asked, grabbing her wand and rushing over to Harry's bedside.

"It was Bellatrix-" Sirius started, but was cut off by Dumbledore.

"I believe he's been cursed, though for what means, I am unsure of…" Dumbledore said slowly, giving Sirius a calculating look.

"Well, it's definitely dark magic… I'm not sure that I can wake him up," Pomfrey said worriedly, turning back to her office to see if she had another solution beyond potions and spells.

Sirius gave his former headmaster a grim look. "What was the theory you were considering-"

"Dad! Sirius! Sirius Black!" Harry shouted from the bed, jerking and rolling off the top. He would have hit the floor, had Sirius not jumped forward and grabbed him. Cradling his son, Sirius looked fiercely up at the older man. "What's wrong with him, Albus?"

Remus, who was on the other side of Harry's bed and had been looking worriedly at the two, turned to his former headmaster, eyes also demanding an answer.

"I believe Bellatrix hit Harry with a curse when she realized the death eaters were fighting a losing battle - perhaps it was Voldemort's back up plan, or it could have been her own doing, though I doubt that such a loyal follower of Voldemort's would do anything to his number one target without strict permission from her master. I think this spell is meant to weaken Harry both physically and emotionally by showing him the one thing that he believes he cannot live without being taken away…" Dumbledore trailed off, surveying Sirius for his reaction.

"I…" Sirius swallowed hard, then turned to look at Remus. "I don't follow…"

"Sirius, don't you see?" Remus said, moving forward to grasp his friend's shoulder. "Harry see's you dying somehow. That's why he keeps shouting for you."

"No, that can't be it…" Sirius said, attempting to squash the guilt rising inside of him that he could be the indirect reason for his son's suffering. "Besides, why would Voldemort just want to weaken Harry? What will that do for him if Harry's is safely inside Hogwarts?"

"Well…" Dumbledore said slowly, looking down at the now still form of the Boy-Who-Lived, who had been returned to his bed. "For one thing, if Harry is too weak to even wake up, then he's probably too weak to use occlumency, or prevent possession from Voldemort himself. In fact, with all the love inside Harry, and more specifically, all the love he has for you, Sirius, I believe that the heartbreak of losing you could potentially kill him-"

"Stop," Sirius breathed out, getting to his feet and pacing the room. "No, Harry won't die, he couldn't! He'll be fine, he'll wake up-"

"Sirius, calm down," Remus attempted to soothe, walking up to his friend.

"I'm worried that this is something Harry will have to overcome on his own - of course, Poppy will continue to look for a cure, but Harry will need to find his will to live stronger than his grief of losing you… otherwise, Voldemort could take control of his body, and who knows what will happen then." Dumbledore said gravely, looking down at Harry, who was now writhing on the hospital bed and whimpering quiet words like "dad" and "Siri."

Sirius sat down at the chair next to Harry's hospital bed, defeated. This was probably the worst off he had been in protecting his son - at least after all the other things they had gone through, he was able to comfort him and help deal with the aftermath. This time, he was powerless; Harry was stuck inside his own head without a father figure to help him, and all Sirius could do was sit by his bedside until he woke up.

Dumbledore took one last, fleeting glance at Sirius, before turning to Remus and Tonks. "Tonks, I would like for you to return to the Ministry. Help clear up things for the Order and take care of the Death Eaters. Remus, keep an eye on the two of them. I firmly believe that Harry will have the strength to persevere… just make sure Sirius stays strong."

Both of them nodded, then Dumbledore followed Tonks out of the hospital wing. Remus didn't attempt to say anything; he knew Sirius was plagued with guilt at the moment, and wouldn't want to speak for a little while. Instead, he grabbed a chair and moved to offer solace to his friend during his time of need.

* * *

" _Harry, I need you to stand up for me, okay? We have to floo back to Hogwarts and I don't think I can carry you while I do that." Remus said, panicking slightly at the thought of Voldemort being nearby._

" _I don't want to… dad…" Harry mumbled, pressing his knuckles to his eyes to avoid any extra moisture from leaking out. He didn't think he had the energy to even sit up, much less walk; every time he closed his eyes he saw the jet green light hitting his father, the man's limp body falling to the ground in front of him…_

 _Remus sighed and pulled Harry closer to him - it was clear the boy would rather be left at the ministry than willingly walk away from his dead father, so he had one choice. Grabbing a handful of powder, he stepped in the fireplace and shouted "Dumbledore's office," with Harry wrapped up in his arms._

 _The two arrived in the cluttered room immediately, and Remus placed Harry on the nearby couch. Truly, he wanted to behave similarly to Harry, but knew he had to stay strong for him. He wasn't sure what would happen now with Harry; sure, he had partial guardianship of him, but would Harry want to live with him? And could he ever live up to Sirius's level of devotion for the boy?_

 _A soft whimpering sound pulled him out of his thoughts, and Remus turned towards Harry. The boy was curled into himself, crying quietly and pressing his hands to his face as if he were ashamed of himself._

" _Harry, kiddo, it's okay." Remus soothed, kneeling down beside the couch and attempting to move Harry's hands away. "It's okay to cry, you loved Sirius."_

 _Harry shook his head fiercely, but continued to remain silent. Sirius's loss truly began to hit Remus then - Sirius was always the one to comfort Harry when something was wrong. Why would Harry let him in now, just because Sirius was gone? The truth was, he wouldn't. The boy was a closed to book to anyone other than the few he held dear, and now that one of those few were gone, it did not mean Harry would just open up to someone else._

 _Harry, on the other hand, wasn't thinking about any of that at all. When he closed his eyes, all he could see was his father's lifeless body on the ground. When he opened them, however, he faced something different: a reality in which Sirius was no longer alive. Harry wasn't sure which was worse, so when keeping his eyes closed became too much to bear, he'd open them and cry into one of Dumbledore's throw pillows._

 _After about an hour of watching Harry suffer, and attempting to comfort him, Remus was ready to beg. "Harry, kiddo, please talk to me. Say something, anything that I can do to help you feel just a little better."_

 _Harry shook his head and buried himself deeper into the couch. He needed Sirius, his father, but the man was gone. He had been killed by his insane cousin for no reason…_

 _Suddenly, a burning desire for revenge coursed through Harry's body. Wiping the tears from his cheeks, Harry bounced up, past a shocked Remus, and towards the floo._

" _Ministry of Magic!" Harry shouted, before flying out of Remus's line of vision._

 _TBC._

A/N: I think this is a bit more clear with what I'm doing, and should become moreso as the chapters progress. Please read and review! Sorry it's short, I want to take time to develop this plot.


	53. And My Heart Burdened Be

Sirius sat in a chair beside Harry's bed, holding onto the boy's hand and staring off into space. It had almost been twenty-four hours since he was brought back to Hogwarts, and Poppy hadn't recognized any signs of improvement. If anything, he seemed to be doing worse. He was continuously shouting for Sirius and thrashing around against the sheets constraining him.

During these extravagant movements, Sirius took Harry in his arms and attempted to soothe him with comforting words, but it didn't seem to do any good. Harry was completely stuck in a world of his own, and despite Dumbledore's insistence that Sirius's comfort would help him, things were looking bleak.

Harry had just come out of a bad fit an hour ago; he had been shouting things and squirming as if he were in pain. Sirius wished he knew what exactly his boy was envisioning, but no amount of magic could get his son out of the nightmare. He'd just have to wait it out and hope Harry's strength would persevere a little longer.

"How is he?" Remus's deep voice spoke quietly from Sirius's right side.

"No improvement - he seems to be getting worse, his cries are more ragged and desperate," Sirius mumbled, brushing the hair away from his son's face. "God, Rem, what if I lose him? He could have been safe if I had gotten to him before Lucius did-"

"That's not your fault, Padfoot," Remus insisted, kneeling down to be level with his friend, who had still not left the chair by his child's bedside. "Harry ran off - I know he was upset, Merlin knows he had every right to be, but he knew how dangerous things were getting. He shouldn't have left Dumbledore's office without someone."

Sirius just shook his head mutely and continued staring at the boy's pale, lifeless face. "I won't be able to take it if he dies, Moony."

"He won't, Sirius. Dumbledore is fairly confident that he'll come to, just keep doing what you're doing." Remus said reassuringly, settling down into another chair near the bed to keep his friend company.

* * *

" _Ministry of Magic!" Harry shouted, before flying out of Remus's line of vision._

" _Shit," Remus cursed, flying over to use the floo and shouting the same phrase Harry had just used. He felt himself spinning and flying past other fireplaces until he skidded to a stop in the atrium of the ministry. Just as he got his bearings, he saw Harry running towards the elevators._

" _Harry!" Remus called, flying after him in an attempt to get him back to safety. Voldemort was here, in this building and he would be after the boy in a heartbeat._

 _Harry banged on the elevators, working himself into a state in his haste to avenge his father. He felt strong arms wrap around his waist and pull him away, but he wouldn't give up that easily; no, he wasn't leaving the ministry until Bellatrix was dead._

 _Kicking backwards hard, Harry caused Remus to stumble onto the ground; however, he overstepped and ended up falling down as well. Remus grabbed his ankle and pulled him closer. "Harry, this isn't a damn game! Voldemort is here-"_

" _Yes, Harry, perhaps you should listen to your elders more often," a shrill, cold voice said from behind them. Remus immediately jumped to his feet and brought Harry behind him, the way Sirius had done just an hour before._

 _The burning desire for revenge left Harry as he finally took in his surroundings - Voldemort was standing directly in front of Remus and himself. Harry realized, perhaps a few minutes too late, that he was very close to potentially losing both Sirius and Remus in one day. He knew that Remus also wanted to keep him safe, and would risk his life for Harry. If Voldemort sent another killing curse at Harry, Remus would jump in front of him without question, just as Sirius had only an hour before._

* * *

"Has he woken up at all?" Ron asked Sirius a little later that day. Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and the twins had all come to visit that afternoon once they heard what happened. Molly and some other Order members had also visited, but they were soon sent out by Madam Pomfrey. Sirius had to argue with her multiple times to allow him to continue his vigil by the boy's bedside, with her insisting that he needed rest just as badly as Harry did.

"Not once," Sirius mumbled, looking down at Harry's face, which was currently twisted into an expression of agony. "He went into a fit of some sort earlier this morning, shouting for me and going spastic. I almost couldn't hold him down."

Hermione was on the side of the bed opposite to everyone else and was holding Harry's hand. "Oh, Harry," she mumbled, tears in her eyes. "How come it's always him?"

Sirius's eyes darkened and he shook his head. "Hermione, you're the brightest witch I've ever met. Surely you know the answer to that."

Hermione nodded sadly, but didn't take her eyes off of her best friend. "He'll live, I know he will. He may think you're dead in his mind, but in his heart he has to know that you're here, waiting on him."

Sirius sighed and shook his head again. "I hope so…"

A few more minutes of quiet visitation passed before the kids were shooed out of the room and Remus was allowed back inside. He brought Sirius a plate of food and a shot of firewhiskey.

When Sirius noticed the alcohol, he looked up at his friend with a confused expression.

Remus smiled dryly, "You look like you need a pick-me-up."

Sirius nodded and shot back the amber liquid, slightly shivering at the burning sensation it caused in his throat. Once he recovered, he returned to facing his son.

Remus sighed and sat down beside him. "Sirius, you need to rest too… or at least get up and get some fresh air. I'll watch Harry and send a patronus if anything changes, but it's been over a day now. I don't think he'll move in the amount of time it takes for you to get a nap."

Sirius simply shook his head. They sat in silence for a few minutes longer, and just as Remus was beginning to worry for his friend's sanity, Sirius spoke. "What if he doesn't wake up?"

Remus cringed; Sirius's voice was raspy and held so much despair. "Of course he will, Padfoot," Remus tried to console. "Don't think about that possibility, Harry's too strong for this to be the end. Just focus on how happy he's going to be when he wakes up and realizes that you're alive."

Sirius nodded and returned to looking at his son. He gently stroked a hand through Harry's sweaty, black hair. To Remus's surprise and delight, he noticed Harry's facial expression relax at his father's soothing gesture. "See that, Padfoot? He knows you're here, comforting him. If Dumbledore believes that love will save Harry from this, then surely he'll wake up soon."

Sirius didn't respond right away, so Remus sat in silence with him for a few more moments, before he patted his friend's shoulder and left him to his own thoughts.

He was looking at his son's now relaxed face, and truly believing for the first time since this all started that there was a chance Harry would come out of this alright. With that thought, he decided to try something.

"Puppy," he whispered gently. Harry immediately turned his face so that he was facing his father, though he made no other indication that he had heard him. Still, this small movement gave Sirius hope. "I… I love you, Harry. I need you to wake up, I can't lose-"

Before he could finish his endearments, Harry shot his arms forward and let out a scream so desperate and painful, that Sirius's heart clenched. He immediately climbed up onto the hospital bed and wrapped his arms around his son's shaking body, holding him securely as the boy went into another fit.

After a few minutes, Sirius realized that this was perhaps the worst fit that his son had ever gone into; it was clear he was actually in a massive amount of pain. "Poppy!" Sirius shouted desperately, hoping that she had something that would help.

* * *

" _Ah, mister Potter, the time has come." Voldemort drawled out. Harry attempted to look around Remus, but the man wouldn't let him._

" _You'll have to kill me before I let you touch Harry." Remus said angrily, and Harry choked back a sob, remembering when his father had said those words only a few hours before._

" _Oh I could," Voldemort said, an evil smile gracing his features. "But I find werewolves to be very useful." Voldemort cast a voiceless incantation that hit Remus before he realized what had happened. The man keeled over, but Harry was relieved to see that he was still breathing._

" _Now, Harry," Voldemort said, edging closer to the boy. "It's time for you to face your destiny."_

" _No," Harry said, shaking his head. "Dumbledore is here, he's downstairs. He'll stop you."_

" _Oh, I already took care of him," Voldemort said simply before casting another voiceless incantation. This time, instead of keeling over, Harry fell onto the ground in some of the most unbearable pain he had ever felt. Screaming in agony, all he could see was white light. Was this what dying felt like?_

* * *

Dumbledore had arrived soon after Harry went into the fit, and Poppy was doing everything she could to get the boy to calm down; however, that was made harder due to Sirius's refusal to let go of his son.

"Mr. Black, you have to let him go!" Poppy exclaimed after Sirius's arms, which were wrapped around Harry, kept her from doing a diagnostic test.

Instead of heeding her command, Sirius turned to face Dumbledore. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's happening sooner than I feared," Dumbledore said, his face pale and eyes hollow. "He's being possessed, I suppose Voldemort feels he's weak enough… there's nothing we can do except hope that Harry survives the attack-"

"No!" Sirius said viciously before tightening his grip on the boy. "Harry, puppy, listen to me. You're going to be okay, please listen to my voice."

"Sirius, he can't hear-" Poppy began to argue, but Dumbledore cut her off with a shake of his head.

"Let's go to your office. I believe Sirius is the only one that can help Harry now, anyway." Dumbledore said simply, gently leading the matron away from the bed.

"Harry, I just need you to open your eyes. It's Sirius, I'm here and alive and I'll protect you, but I need you to wake up," Sirius said, his voice both soothing and desperate. The boy continued to struggle, unaware of what was happening in reality.

* * *

 _He registered a loud, piercing scream and belatedly realized it was his own voice. The pain was incomparable to any curse he had ever taken - it felt as if every part of him was on fire. His insides were twisting, complaining against the force overtaking his being. His head hurt and oh, his heart hurt._

 _As the pain continued on, Harry began to prepare for the worst. He was dying - he'd never see Ron or Hermione again. He would never get the chance to tell Ginny that he thought she was lovely, and Remus would be left all alone._

 _As the pain continued to attack his being, his thoughts moved to the afterlife. Was there one? Would that mean he would get to see Sirius again? And what about his mother and father? As badly as he missed them and wanted to be with them again, he had to admit he wasn't ready to die, not this way. Not without knowing if he would be with his family again._

 _It was minimal, but he felt the curse lighten up slightly. The pain backed off long enough for Harry to get a bit of relief and consider what he might have done to fight the curse. He had been thinking of his friends and family. Painfully, he reminded himself that if he lived, he would never see his beloved godfather again._

 _A new pain overtook him, but this time, it wasn't from the curse. It was heartbreak, and for whatever reason, it seemed to make the previous pain bearable. Faintly, another voice, separate from Voldemort's evil cackle, broke into his mind._

" _Puppy, it's Sirius. I'm here, just wake up. I know you can, Harry. I'm right here, I'm alive. I need you, I can't lose you." The familiar voice spoke softly into his ear. Harry felt hope welling up inside him, but instead of embracing it, he tried to crush it. He knew what hope could do to someone, and he wouldn't risk believing the voice if it meant he would only wake to realize his dad was still dead._

" _No, he's gone." Harry slurred, despite Voldemort's curse still attacking his body. "Dad is dead."_

 _The voice broke into his head again, still soft and soothing, but also desperate. "No baby, I'm here. I promise, just wake up and you'll see. You can do it - you're so brave, so strong. You've beat him four times in your life, you can do it again. Wake up for me, puppy. I'm right here."_

 _This time the hope overtook Harry's caution, and he felt the pain begin to ebb away as he fought the curse. Even if it was a trick of Voldemort's, it was worth the risk, he decided. He wanted his dad more than anything in the world, and seeing him again was worth it. The pain stopped immediately at that, and the white light reappeared, but this time the environment was different. It was quiet, and Harry felt himself wrapped in someone's embrace instead of on the cold, hard ground of the ministry._

* * *

"Wake up for me, puppy. I'm right here," Sirius said, noticing that Harry was beginning to still in his arms. Dread erupted in Sirius; was Harry relaxing in his hold because he was dying or was it because he heard his voice?

Slowly, the boy's green eyes opened and began to search his surroundings. His heart leaping into his chest, Sirius grabbed Harry's glasses and placed them gently onto the boy's face. "Harry, thank god."

Harry stiffened at the familiar voice, and craned his neck to see who had spoken.

"You… you're dead," Harry said, cringing away from Sirius with fear in his eyes. It all felt like a horrible dream to him, one in which Harry couldn't remember what was real and what wasn't.

"No puppy, I'm not," Sirius said gently, wanting to hug his boy but also knowing that Harry was very confused and probably wouldn't respond well to it. "You got hit at the ministry a few days ago by a spell that made you live a vision. What you've seen since hasn't been true at all. I'm alive and I'm not going anywhere."

Harry thought back to what happened at the ministry and shook his head. Of course he wanted to believe that the man sitting beside him was his father, but he didn't think he could handle the heartbreak if he wasn't; he barely made it through the first time. "It's not real," Harry mumbled to himself, looking away and blinking back tears. "He's dead, he can't come back."

Sirius felt his throat tighten and he slowly reached out to brush his son's bangs back; Harry flinched at the contact and Sirius took his hand away. "Tell me what I can do to prove I'm alive; I'll do anything."

Harry looked up into his father's - no, the impostor's pained grey eyes. He thought back from his time with Sirius, trying with difficulty to remember something that only his dad would know, something that would prove that this truly was Sirius and not a death eater in disguise. It hit him after a minute of pondering - there was only one other person in the world who knew about it, and she was dead, so Harry was sure this question would give him the answers he needed. "Sing to me; if it's really you, you'll know the song I want to hear."

Sirius smiled, relieved - he was beginning to worry that Harry was going to ask for some small detail that he would have no chance of remembering. Moving closer to his son, so he could stroke his bangs back again, he began: "When I am down, and oh, my soul so weary-"

Harry had tears in his eyes before the first line of the song was over, and he lunged at the man, wrapping his arms around his father's waist, finally accepting what he had believed to be false; his dad was alive.

Sirius held his son close and rocked him as he kept singing. "You raise me up, so I can walk on mountains. You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas. I am strong-"

A/N: I wish this is how Order of the Phoenix ended... anyway, read and review!


	54. Back to normal?

A/N: I've been trying to make Sirius a more authoritative character since I've started writing year 5 because Harry has a lot of angst and I just think it's more fitting. I also want to show Harry as more independent, as he is getting older. Anyway, sorry it's taken me so long to write - I was on summer vacation. I plan to get back into it now that I'm in school again!

In the days that followed, Harry grew stronger and became more aware of his surroundings, gaining a better understanding of what had transpired after he was hit with the curse. He grew anxious whenever Sirius had to go meet with Dumbledore or do something for The Order, but Hermione and Ron were often visiting the hospital wing during these times and would reassure him of his godfather's safety. Remus and Sirius took turns staying with Harry when the other left to go teach, and they both spent a great deal of time catching him up on his lessons and helping him gain his strength back.

The Christmas holidays were fast approaching, and it had been arranged for The Order to celebrate Christmas at Grimmauld Place, being that the hidden house was the safest location. Once there, Harry would continue his healing process, as well as his training with Dumbledore for destroying horcruxes.

The horcrux problem that caused the entire fiasco in the Department of Mysteries still wasn't solved, and despite Dumbledore's constant reassurance, Sirius was worried sick about Harry's future fate. On Harry's first day back to classes before the holidays, Sirius expressed this concern to Remus in his office.

"Is it selfish of me to hide Harry away his entire life? I mean sure, that means Voldemort couldn't be destroyed, but Harry would live the long life James and Lily intended for him to," Sirius rambled, pacing in front of his desk.

"Not only would it be a bad thing for the entire world, but it would also be bad for Harry. You would smother him if you went into hiding for the rest of your lives." Remus reasoned, shaking his head. "Dumbledore has told you time and time again that he has a plan, why can't you accept that and wait?"

"Because, Dumbledore has the wizarding world's best intentions in his plan - not Harry's. What if he's just saying that to me so I can give my permission to let my son get killed by Voldemort?" Sirius asked, staring out the window in a brooding fashion.

Before Remus could respond, Harry and Ron walked into the office, Ron ranting angrily about something relating to Ginny and Dean Thomas. "Then she told me to mind my own bloody business, can you believe that, Harry? Not to mention the betrayal on Dean's part too - we've been roommates for five years and all of the sudden he decides he fancies my sister!"

Harry looked mildly uncomfortable as he nodded his agreement. "Yeah, mate. Er… must be pretty weird."

Sirius cleared his throat to get the boys' attention. Both of them turned to him, and Sirius noticed that Harry was extremely pale. "Harry, is everything alright?" Sirius asked, wondering why the two had come into the office in the first place. The school day had ended and it was dinner time in the Great Hall.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Harry said. "Just was wondering if Ron and I could eat dinner with you guys tonight. I've had a long day…"

Harry trailed off and Ron looked at him, slightly challenging. "A long day is all you'd call it? Malfoy really-"

Before Ron could finish, Harry had nudged him the ribs and gave him a warning glare.

"Of course you both can, but what did Malfoy do? If you don't mind my asking," Remus said, standing up from the desk chair he had been seated at and taking a few strides towards the door.

"Nothing important," Harry said vaguely, eyeing Ron as he followed Remus into the hallway.

"Harry," Sirius warned, beginning to feel concerned.

"It's nothing," Harry said again, firmly. "Just drop it."

If the four of them hadn't been in the middle of the corridor, Sirius would have pushed the matter; due to the circumstances, however, he let it slide. "Very well then," he said curtly, pushing forward to lead to his quarters.

After a few minutes of heavy silence, they reached Sirius's living space. He spoke the password, then stepped inside, followed by Remus, Ron, and a guilty, yet frustrated looking Harry.

They all sat around the table and waited quietly for the food to appear in front of them. Remus attempted at small talk, but Ron was the only one that was actually responding. Something was majorly bothering Harry, but Sirius was so frustrated about the boy's previous stubbornness that he didn't ask.

Dinner was a quiet affair, and once everyone had finished, Harry jumped up from his seat. "Let's go, Ron."

This was the final straw for Sirius, who had been stewing in his chair for the last thirty minutes over the way the evening had transpired. "Not so fast, young man," he said harshly, his voice sounding more authoritative than it ever had.

Harry's eyes flashed in anger, but he didn't say anything.

"Remus, will you escort Ron to the common room? I need a word with my son." Sirius said, his voice not losing the harsh tone.

"No, I want him to stay here." Harry said defiantly, stepping closer to his godfather and raising himself to his full height to appear intimidating; despite this, Sirius still towered over him.

Remus walked over to Ron and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go, Ron. I'll take you back to the common room, Harry will be there soon."

"No, didn't you hear me?" Harry said angrily, turning to them. "I want him to stay here."

"What is your problem?" Sirius asked as Remus walked Ron out of the room, despite Harry's protests.

Instead of responding, Harry stormed off in the direction of his room, fully intending to lock himself in there until his godfather quit pestering him.

Anger was coursing through Sirius as he cast the spell, one he would soon regret. He had only intended to shock Harry, just get him to turn around and listen with the weak stunning spell he sent the boy's way; instead he found him howling in agony on the ground.

The color drained from the man's face as he rushed over to his son's side. "Harry, Harry, what happened? It was just a stunner… oh bloody hell," Sirius mumbled, panicked. He noticed Harry was clutching his side, writhing in pain.

"Puppy, move your hand," Sirius said, attempting to get the boy's shirt off and see the damage that had been done.

"No!" Harry shouted, panic gracing his features as he writhed away from his father. "No, you can't."

"Why not? I can help you, Harry. Why are you pushing yourself away from me?" Sirius said, grabbing his son by the arm and pulling him closer with ease.

After a bit more struggling, Sirius managed to get the shirt off - the image he saw made him sick. A burn, not unlike the one Malfoy had given him last year, was on Harry's side. It was obviously put there with dark magic, and bloody words had been engraved in the skin on Harry's back that read "You'll pay for this, Potter."

Harry saw the disgust on his father's face and felt traitorous tears gather in his eyes. He hadn't wanted Sirius to find out, and had to beg Hermione to subdue the dark curse so he wouldn't have to return to the hospital wing again. Hermione had done it on the condition that Harry would tell Sirius what Draco had done, but he didn't want to burden his father yet again with an injury - he had already burdened him enough with the horcrux problem.

Sirius saw red - his blood was boiling at the thought of what he would do to the young Malfoy for this. He was so caught up in his plans for vengeance that he didn't notice how upset Harry was getting until the boy was practically hyperventilating.

"Harry, calm down, you're going to be okay. I'm not mad at you," Sirius attempted to soothe, reaching a hand out to stroke the boy's dark hair. Harry cringed away, crawling across the floor to put space between his father and him.

As Harry caught his breath, his anger returned full force. He stood up as abruptly as his injury would allow him to, and he walked briskly to the door. Sirius used his wand to shut and lock it.

Harry turned around, his eyes flashing. He wasn't exactly sure why he was lashing out so badly, but he was beginning to panic - he didn't want to have this conversation, he just wanted to be left alone. "Let me out," he said, his voice shaking with a mixture of fury and panic.

Despite Sirius's attempt to calm down, his anger was rising again at his son's defiance. "No, you sit down," Sirius said in a deathly quiet way, as if inviting Harry to challenge his authority.

Harry knew in his heart that Sirius wouldn't hurt him, but he also knew his father had a terrible temper, and was beginning to realize that he was pushing his luck. Feeling his heart beating out of his chest, he moved quickly to the couch and sat down in front of the man. He kept his eyes trained on the floor, not wanting to see the anger and disgust in Sirius's eyes.

"Now, I want to make myself plain. You are not, under any circumstance, to behave this way again. Do you understand?" Sirius said gruffly, staring down at Harry.

Harry didn't move at all, just kept looking at the floor. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat that was rising.

"Harry," Sirius said louder, grabbing the boy's chin and roughly tilting his head up to meet his eyes. "Do you understand?"

Sirius's strict demeanor practically diminished when he saw the lost, hurt look in his son's eyes. He got down on a knee and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Merlin, you're a mess. What's the matter?"

To Harry's own disgust, tears were streaming down his face. He just wanted to be left alone - the pressure of everything was crashing down around him. He thought for sure Sirius would get angry again, would tell him to quit acting like a baby; instead, he found himself wrapped in a strong embrace, his godfather's cheek pressed against the top of his head.

"Maybe Ron should have stayed," Sirius mumbled as he hugged his son. "You're in no state to talk about this. I'm a bloody idiot… we need to get Madame Pomfrey here now."

"No!" Harry yelled, attempting to pull back from his father as panic gripped him again. "I'm fine, it's a little cut-"

"This," Sirius said firmly, gesturing toward the boy's side, "is _not_ a little cut. This is an attack, very similar to what you endured last year. I won't stand for that. I'm getting you some medical attention, then you and I are going to have a chat."

Harry watched in horror as the patronus was sent off to Pomfrey, with nothing he could do about it.

They sat in silence and waited for Pomfrey to bring the burn salve. When she arrived, she asked to see where Harry was cursed, but to the boy's relief, Sirius denied her.

"Not now, Poppy, I'll bring him by before we leave for holiday." The man said with no room for argument.

The matron was clearly offended and began to protest, but looking at Harry's miserable demeanor, she stopped. "I expect to see him by tomorrow evening at the latest. Patient health is no laughing matter, Mr. Black."

Sirius nodded, and waited until she departed to open the salve. "Take your shirt off," he said strictly, but his eyes were gentle.

Harry obeyed somewhat grudgingly. Sirius grabbed some of the salve and rubbed it on the wound - Harry felt relief in the area almost immediately.

"There," Sirius said when he finished. "Much better. Now, why don't you tell me what happened?"

Harry hesitated, but nodded. "Well, class was fine all day. I mean, kids were whispering about how they thought for sure I had died, but other than that, it was relatively normal. Draco thinks I'm the reason his father's in Azkaban, so he was the only one that really gave me any trouble. McGonagall asked me to stay behind in her class so she could talk to me about where I was at for my OWL's, since I had been sick and everything. Hermione and Ron had gone on to the library to study before dinner, so when I left her office I was alone. About halfway to the library, Malfoy and four other Slytherins cornered me and attacked. I managed to stun a few of them, but I was by myself and they got the best of me…" Harry trailed off and looked down at the floor again.

Sirius put an arm around the boy and leaned in to kiss the top of his head. "What happened after?"

Harry sighed. "Well, Malfoy cursed me, then they all disappeared. Not wanting a teacher to find me, I walked to the library and begged Hermione to help me so I wouldn't have to go back to the hospital wing. She said she'd help if I promised to tell you…"

Sirius frowned. "I had to stun you to figure out what was wrong - why didn't you just tell me?"

"I've burdened you enough." Harry mumbled, looking away.

"Harry James Potter," Sirius said, shaking his head. "You could never be a burden. I love you with all that I am."

Harry felt the lump rising in his throat again, but he nodded. He decided not to bring up the horcrux issue, or any of his other worries. He was thoroughly exhausted anyway.

As if reading his mind, Sirius grasped his shoulder more firmly. "Is there anything else?"

Harry shook his head. "Can I go to sleep now?"

Sirius nodded, "Yes, but I don't want you in the dorm tonight. Okay?"

"Okay," Harry said, standing up and retreating towards his bedroom.

"Goodnight," Sirius called after him, but if Harry had heard, he ignored it.

Sirius sighed and retreated to his own room, accepting that this problem was far from over.


	55. Insecurities

A/N: See, told you guys I would get back into writing! (Though I can't promise that every update will happen this quickly). Read, review, and enjoy!

Harry woke up the next morning to blissful silence; he sat for a moment, taking in the peace of the quiet atmosphere. Then, with no warning, the shame from his behavior the previous evening washed over him. Shame for letting himself get injured again, shame for yelling at and upsetting Sirius the way he had… shame for being so weak and useless. At least if the Order just killed him off, they'd be closer to defeating Voldemort; then he'd really have a purpose.

He heard the door click open and watched his father peek his head inside. When Sirius saw that Harry was awake, he pushed the door all the way open and smiled, his grey eyes filled with warmth. "Good morning mate." He greeted, carrying a tray of food over to Harry's bedside, then sitting down beside him.

"Morning," Harry said quietly, his cheeks still hot from his embarrassment of last night.

"Are you feeling better?" Sirius asked, pretending not to notice Harry's timid nature.

"Mhm," Harry said quietly, eyeing the breakfast food that had been placed beside him. He really didn't get much to eat last night, what with all that transpired.

"Tuck in," Sirius said, gesturing to the tray. Harry reached for the plate of pancakes and turned his attention back to his father. "Now, we have a few things to talk about, but before we do that, I want to put some more burn salve on that injury." Sirius said, reaching for the small container on Harry's bedside table.

Harry allowed his father to lift his shirt enough to expose the injury. Sirius dabbed a little of the salve on it, and Harry felt immediate relief again. The injury definitely had improved - it wasn't nearly as large and blistering as it had been the night before.

"There, that's better. Aren't you glad you told me about this?" Sirius asked gently - regardless of the man's tone, Harry caught the reprimand. He nodded.

"Right, well I have to take you to Pomfrey's after lessons today so she doesn't have my head for neglect of a patient. I'll make sure it's a quick visit, I know you have quidditch practice tonight." Sirius said, watching Harry eat a bite of his pancake.

Harry nodded again, and Sirius sighed in response. "Listen, puppy, if I'm being honest with you, I didn't want any of this to happen. When you were born, I never expected to take on the role of a parent for you. I wanted to be the cool godfather - the one that took you out flying when you were grounded and spoiled you with all kinds of presents. I hate yelling at you or trying to restrict you, but that's what I signed up for when I agreed to be your guardian. I let my temper get way out of hand last night and I shouldn't have tried to stun you, so I'm sorry for that. Alright?"

Harry smiled a little and nodded, "alright."

Sirius smiled back. "Good, now onto the part that I hate. I need you to stay in here with me for the next couple of weeks until holiday. I'm doing this more to protect you than to ground you, although I feel that the punishment might be necessary after last night, wouldn't you say?"

Harry nodded, his cheeks heating up from embarrassment again. "Alright, you'll go to classes with either Remus, Ron and Hermione, or me, then go to any lessons with Dumbledore, the DA, or quidditch practice. You will not walk alone through this castle. You'll come back in here and do whatever homework you need. Ron and Hermione are welcome to join you until bedtime."

"Bedtime?" Harry asked, appalled. Bedtime with Sirius had never really existed - he was fifteen years old, after all.

Sirius chuckled, but nodded. "You're wearing yourself thin, pup. Fifth year is extremely stressful, but you just also happen to have the weight of the wizarding world on your shoulders. You don't need to make it harder for yourself by staying up all hours of the night. You're to be in bed by eleven at night, at least until holiday rolls around."

Harry huffed and looked down at his sheets. He hated when Sirius treated him like a baby, especially since the Dursley's never bothered to.

Sirius ignored Harry's frustration and wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "You'll be alright," he said gently, before giving his shoulder a squeeze and standing up. "Get ready for class, I'm going to make a cup of coffee before we leave."

Despite Sirius's new restrictions on him, Harry felt relieved, as if a burden had been lifted off of him. Since the confrontation in Dumbledore's office, Harry still had his doubts that Sirius wanted him alive - after all he was the reason Sirius lost his best friend. Voldemort killed his dad because he, Harry, existed. Why would Sirius want to be reminded of that every day? Not to mention, Harry had almost gotten the man killed in the Department of Mysteries. But Sirius punishing him showed that the man still cared, at least a little bit. Regardless, Harry wished he could bring up this fear to his father - he knew it sounded ridiculous though and it would be another thing for Sirius to worry about.

Once Harry had brushed his teeth, put his robes on, and attempted to comb through his hair, he stepped outside to see Sirius leaning against the counter, a cup of hot coffee pressed against his lips. The man was dressed in dark blue dress robes that complimented his grey eyes. Not for the first time, Harry thought about how much his godfather's appearance had changed since escaping Azkaban. He looked like the young guy in his parent's wedding photo - he looked happy, though Harry could see the time that had passed in the creases around his eyes.

Sirius smiled warmly when he noticed Harry scrutinizing him. "Do I have something on my robes?" He teased as he approached his son.

Harry shook his head, smiling a little bit back at the man. "No, it's just, you look better than you did a year ago… Even though I'm sure you'd be… happier somewhere else…" Harry trailed off, worried about his godfather's reaction to the question he wanted so badly to ask.

Sirius's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Like, you know… somewhere you wouldn't have to worry about a mass murderer or… or me." Harry mumbled, messing with the shirt sleeve of his robe.

Sirius abruptly grabbed the boy's hand and stilled it, causing Harry to flinch. "Look at me," he said gravely and Harry did.

"Don't ever question my decision to be your parent, Harry. If I implied that at all this morning, I didn't mean it. I am very well aware that I could have taken off when my freedom was secured and gone to live in a safe space. I know I could have met a girl and had a family of my own. I have never wanted that, though. I want to fight, I want to help our cause, and I _want_ to be your dad. I said it last night and I mean it, I love you with all that I am. Understand?" Sirius said, his steel grey gaze boring into Harry's bright green one.

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, feeling reassured of his father's dedication, though he still had doubts of his worthiness. "I love you too."

Sirius nodded, but this time he did not smile. "Let's go then, we'll be late."

Harry followed the man out the door of his quarters and down the hall to the charms classroom, where his first lesson would be. Harry stopped outside the door as his father went on in the class. When Sirius realized Harry didn't follow him, he turned around. "What are you doing? Get in here, after yesterday I don't want you in the corridors alone."

Harry grimaced, but nodded and went to sit at one of the empty desks. He watched his dad move about the room, setting up for the lesson; Sirius had a grace about him that, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake. It was in his walk, his posture - Harry would never have that trait. Harry was also not nearly as brilliant as his godfather, real father, or Remus - he still didn't understand how the man could claim to love him with so many faults.

Sirius, unbeknownst to Harry, had been watching him as he set up for the lesson. He could tell Harry was still feeling insecure, but he wasn't sure where it had come from. The happiness Harry had shown when he realized Sirius was still alive was gone completely, replaced with worry and angst about things Sirius was unaware of. He was dying to help his child, but was unsure how he could.

Slowly, the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors began to pour into the room, ready for their lesson. Sirius discreetly walked by Harry's desk and squeezed his shoulder, wanting to reassure his boy before he had to give his attention to other students. Harry didn't acknowledge the gesture, but Sirius knew he appreciated it by the small smile the boy wore for the rest of the period.

After the lesson, Ron, Hermione, and Harry walked on to their other classes. Nothing extremely interesting occurred, and Draco managed to leave the three alone in their shared classes - Harry made a mental note to ask Sirius what he did to Draco for hurting him.

"What time do you have to meet Sirius, Harry?" Hermione asked after their last lesson, Care of Magical Creatures.

"Not for another hour, he has double charms with the second years right now, I believe." Harry said simply.

"Why don't we go study in the common room then?" Hermione suggested as they reached the castle doors.

"You always want to study!" Ron complained, following Hermione nonetheless. "It's almost holiday, we should be relaxing."

"Honestly, Ronald, do you want to pass our OWLs?" Hermione asked scathingly.

Harry, however, had stopped listening to their argument, and was instead brooding over his godfather. In truth, he was miserable. Since the incident with the Department of Mysteries, Harry had discovered what a burden he was to his father - he almost got him killed. Harry was dangerous, and he was beginning to see that those he loved the most were going to end up paying for it.

"Harry… Harry, did you hear me?" Hermione asked, looking with concern at her best friend.

"Er- no, sorry Hermione." Harry said gruffly, noticing that they were approaching the Fat Lady.

"What's going on with you, mate? You haven't been the same since you got out of the hospital wing," Ron too, looked concerned.

"I… I have something I need to tell you guys. I'm supposed to wait for Dumbledore's consent, but if you promise not to say anything, I'll tell you." Harry said quietly. At his friend's nods, he gestured into the common room. "Right, let's go upstairs. Neville and Seamus will be in the library and Dean-"

"Will be snogging Ginny," Ron said with disgust.

Harry felt a pang in his heart - another thing to make his life miserable, he was beginning to have a crush on a girl with a boyfriend… and that girl just happened to be his best mate's sister. "Right… so we'll be able to talk."

Once they went upstairs and got situated in the dorm, Harry started to pace. "So, I know Hermione's probably figured it out, but Voldemort created things called horcruxes. Whenever he murdered someone, a part of his soul latched onto an object. It essentially makes him invincible - the diary I destroyed second year was a horcrux. So now, the Order's goal is to find and destroy all of the horcruxes. The only issue is… I'm one of them. When… when Voldemort tried to kill me and the spell backfired, a part of his soul latched onto me. That's why I have the scar."

"So… for Voldemort to die…" Ron trailed off, looking at Hermione, worried.

"I have to die," Harry finished for him.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione exclaimed, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Surely there's another way..."

"I don't know… Dumbledore's being very vague about it. He didn't want me to know in the first place, Sirius made him tell me." Harry said, sighing. "Sirius keeps saying that he'll die before he let's the Order or Voldemort kill me, but that's just it! I don't want him to die for me. I'm ruining his life, he could be somewhere else, he could be happy, but he's stuck having to protect me. It'd be better off if the Order just did me in…" Harry mumbled, turning his back to his friends.

"But… but Harry, the prophecy says _you_ have to be the one to face Voldemort," Hermione tried. "And besides, Sirius loves you so much… he'd rather be here with you than anywhere else."

"Yeah, and Voldemort will be the one to kill me. And I know he loves me, but he deserves better. I just don't know how to convince him of that." Harry sighed and sat down on his four poster.

"You can't convince him Harry, he won't listen. You do need to talk to him about this though, it won't be good if you keep bottling this up." Hermione suggested, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Blimey mate, you can't possibly think you're a burden?" Ron said, exasperated. "If you were, this many people wouldn't care about you. Professor Lupin, Sirius, my family, Hermione, we all love you, mate."

"Thanks Ron," Harry mumbled, shaking his head. "But I couldn't handle it if something happened to all of you because of me."

"Please, just talk to Sirius tonight, Harry. He's your dad, he'll help you." Hermione said, checking the time. "You need to meet him soon anyway, don't you?"

"Yeah," Harry mumbled, picking up his bag. "I guess I won't see you guys tonight, I've gotta stay with Sirius anyway. I'll be at breakfast."

The two nodded. "Let us know if you need anything, mate." Ron said, watching as his friend walked out the door.

The rest of the evening went by without event. Harry and Sirius saw Pomfrey and she agreed that the injury was better, and cleared him to play quidditch. After practice, Fred escorted Harry back to his father's quarters. The two ate dinner in a comfortable silence, then Sirius excused himself to his bedroom while Harry studied for his OWLs.

At ten-thirty, Sirius stepped out to remind Harry of his bedtime. Harry grudgingly got ready for bed, but didn't try to fall asleep. Instead, he worked up the nerve and walked to his father's bedroom.

He hesitated right outside the door - what if Sirius got tired of his insecurities and yelled at him for being foolish?

Remembering Hermione's words, Harry took a deep breath and knocked three times.

"Come in," Sirius's gruff voice rang out, and Harry turned the knob. Inside, he found his father already in bed, a motorcycle magazine sitting on his lap. He was smiling at his son, and gestured for Harry to come sit beside him. "What's on your mind, mate?"

"You know how Malfoy cursed me yesterday?" At Sirius's affirmative nod, Harry continued. "What did you do to him? He barely looked me in the eye today."

Sirius smiled mischievously. "I worked out a deal with Hagrid - Draco will be in detention the rest of the year with him, cleaning up any creature feces that inhibit Hagrid from doing his lessons. He will also be serving detention with me, but I'll probably just make him write lines or clean - something dreadfully boring. He technically could have been expelled for harming another student, but I would rather not go to a hearing with the ministry, and I assumed you wouldn't want to testify. Was I correct?"

Harry nodded, then looked back down at the comforter.

"Something else is bothering you," Sirius stated, eyeing his son. "What is it?"

"I don't want to say…" Harry mumbled, flushing red. "You'll be angry with me."

"Did you hurt someone?" Sirius asked, concerned.

"No," Harry said, taken aback.

"Did someone hurt you?"

"No."

"Are you failing your classes or did you disrespect a teacher?"

"No…"

"Hmm… have you joined sides with Voldemort?"

"What? No!"

"Did you steal anything?"

"No dad."

"Alright well, I think that's most everything I would be mad about... Go for it," Sirius said, a small smile playing on his features.

Harry took a deep breath and stared at his father's Gryffindor red comforter. "I… have been upset lately."

"I noticed," Sirius said gently, squeezing Harry's shoulder. "What's going on?"

"Since the incident with the Department of Mysteries, I've realized that… I'm burdening you all-" Harry began, only to be cut off by his father.

"Harry, we've talked about this-"

"No, let me finish please. These people attacked and almost killed you because of me. They'll stop at nothing to hurt you because they want to get to me and I can't let that happen. I'd rather die myself than see you or Ron and Hermione or Remus get hurt. It would help The Order anyway." Harry finished, breathing deeply.

Sirius did look angry, but he simply shook his head and grabbed Harry by both shoulders. He turned him so that they were staring each other in the eye - Harry almost cowered away when he saw the hurt look in his godfather's grey eyes.

"Listen to me very carefully, Harry - you are _not_ a burden. You are one of the best things that has happened to me, and I would be a wreck without you. Don't _ever_ suggest otherwise. Now, about the people attacking me - do you really think so highly of yourself that you believe they wouldn't kill me if you were out of the way?" Sirius said harshly.

Harry was taken aback by his father's words. "I… what?"

"Harry, I am a blood traitor of the most powerful, dark wizard family in Europe. They wanted me way before you were even born for fighting on the side of the light and betraying my family. Now, they want me so they can get their hands on the Black fortune. When it comes to me and the war, it's never been about getting to you - they have plenty of other reasons to kill me, so I don't want you to ever blame yourself for the danger I've been put in. Got it?" Sirius said, the expression on his face challenging Harry to contradict him.

Harry was too surprised at his father's demeanor to speak, but he managed to nod a response.

"Right then," Sirius scooted closer to Harry on his bed and threw an arm around him. "I don't know what I can do to make you stop doubting how much I love you, Harry."

"I don't doubt that, dad," Harry said, startled that the man thought this. "I love you too."

Sirius kissed the top of Harry's head, then turned his head so that he rested his cheek against the boy's black mop of hair. "Then quit pushing me away. Alright? You can tell me anything and everything."

"Thank you," Harry said gratefully, burying his head into the crook of his father's neck. "I've just been… so confused lately."

"You don't have to figure it all out right now, Harry." Sirius said, wrapping a strong arm around his son. "Soon we'll be on holiday in a safe place and you can relax."

"But you hate Grimmauld Place," Harry said quietly.

"If I have Remus and you there, I can deal with it." Sirius said simply, rubbing circles on Harry's back. "Don't worry about me, though."

"How can I not?" Harry asked, though he didn't remove himself from the comforting embrace Sirius was offering. "Remus and you are the only _real_ family I've ever known. Without you, I really am the lonely orphan that everyone's always thought me to be."

Sirius's heart broke as he had a flashback of his son stuck in the cupboard under the stairs with his aunt and uncle. Never again. "James and Lily might be gone, but I will be here to support you as long as I am able - I'll do it beyond the grave if I have to."

Harry whimpered a little at the thought of his beloved godfather dying. "I know you don't want to think about that," Sirius amended, feeling the boy tense up, "but I mean every word. Now, it's getting past your bedtime."

Sirius attempted to get up so that he could tuck Harry into his own bed, but the boy grasped his forearm tightly. "Don't go, please. Stay here."

The naked pleading in Harry's voice broke Sirius's heart. "I won't leave you, puppy, we can stay in here. Let's get some rest."

Sirius felt that things had been amended for now, though they still had a long way to go before Voldemort was destroyed. For now, he held his son close to his chest and dreamed of happier times, when James and Lily were still alive and the weight of the world hadn't been weighing on the small, happy baby Harry had once been.


	56. New Missions

A/N: This chapter is more of a set-up into what's about to happen (crazy stuff guys). Read and review please!

Harry focused on the bubbling mess in his cauldron, willing himself to stay awake long enough to get through the class period. The past few nights had been emotionally draining, and he still had a week and a half left of school to get through before he could go to Grimmauld Place for the Christmas holidays.

Hermione occasionally nudged him, but fortunately she was doing the majority of the work on their potion. The end of the period was nearing, and Harry almost thought he'd make it out of the class without Snape taunting him. That is, until he accidentally dropped a mandrake leaf in their potion too early. The concoction exploded, eliciting screams and cries from nearby students.

"Potter! Granger!" Snape spat, stalking over to the table the two were working at. "How daft are you? The mandrake leaves aren't to be added until the potion is boiling, or can you not read instructions?"

"Sorry, sir." Harry mumbled through gritted teeth, though he genuinely felt bad for messing up Hermione's grade as well as his own.

"Sorry won't cut it," Snape said, the edges of his mouth curling upwards in a snarl. "You'll both receive a troll grade for this potion, and serve detention with me every night until Christmas break."

"What?" Harry said indignantly. "It was an accident, and Hermione shouldn't be punished either way. I was the one that messed up."

"I don't care. Both of you, my office, starting tonight." Snape said, before turning around and stalking off.

Harry turned to Hermione, who was frowning, but looking at him with concern. "Sorry, I wasn't paying close attention. I'll try and see if McGonagall can get you out of the detention."

"Don't worry about it," Hermione said, starting to clean up the potion remains. "Are you alright, Harry? You seem tired."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just ready for break." Harry mumbled, helping her clean up as the rest of the class took their completed potions to the front to turn in.

As the Gryffindors piled out of the dungeons, Harry was fuming at Snape's unfairness. Sure, he had heard all of the stories about the Marauders and Snape; he knew Snape despised his father, godfather, and Remus. Did that mean the man had to be so cruel to him?

"-so anyway, after dinner you think we can work on that? Harry?" Ron asked, nudging Harry when he realized he wasn't listening.

"Er, sorry. I need to go talk to Sirius." Harry said urgently, turning to climb the staircase that would take him to the charms corridor.

"What, again? Can't it wait until after dinner?" Ron said, Hermione and him following Harry up the stairs.

"You guys can come too," Harry said, continuing his ascent. "I just want to ask him something about Snape. You saw how unfair he was to us this afternoon!"

"I'm pretty hungry…" Ron mumbled, following Harry anyway.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We can go to the kitchens later. But Harry, Snape has always been that way. I doubt Sirius has the answer to why he's so cruel."

"He might," Harry mumbled. "And Ron, we can summon the food to his quarters. Now hurry up."

The three finished the walk to the charms corridor and arrived at Sirius's portrait. They heard Remus's voice inside, and Harry figured the two were having an afternoon drink.

Harry knocked on the door, momentarily forgetting the password in his haste to talk to his dad.

Sirius opened the door quizzically, then looked relieved when he saw the three standing there. "What's going on?"

"Just want to ask you something," Harry said innocently, as he followed the man inside.

"Go for it," Sirius said, taking a place in an armchair in the sitting room. Remus was seated on the couch and appeared to be drinking tea, whereas Sirius had opted for the stronger shot of firewhiskey.

"Why does Snape hate us so much? I know you told me what happened when you guys were kids, but I still don't know why he takes it out on me. I know I'm not always the best behaved but I don't torment him or anything." Harry said, sitting down on the couch, Ron and Hermione following suit.

"The thing about Snape that you need to understand, is that he holds a grudge for a long time. James is dead, and yet he's choosing to torment his son instead of letting the past be," Remus said, stirring his tea. "Now, what did he do today?"

Sirius looked intently at Harry, as if challenging him to say anything bad. Harry almost stopped himself, knowing the man would be upset at the injustice the potion master had placed upon them. "Nothing as bad as usual…" Harry started, trailing off.

"Just tell me, Harry." Sirius prompted, looking impatient.

"He just gave Hermione and I bad grades because I messed up the potion… it was my fault really." Harry explained, looking back and forth between his guardians. Sirius looked relieved and Remus looked confused.

"I don't understand why you're upset then," Remus said, placing the cup of tea on the sofa table. "If you messed up the potion, don't you deserve the bad grade?"

"Er… well, he also gave us detention… every night until the Christmas holidays start." Harry explained sheepishly.

Sirius rolled his eyes and stood up. "Snivelly has to exert his power. I'll tell McGonagall and see if she can convince him to drop them. Surely a messed up potion isn't grounds to give students two weeks worth of detention."

"But why does he feel the need to do that?" Harry asked, frustrated. "I wasn't cheeky or anything, I apologized. Hermione didn't even do anything and he gave her detention. It's not fair."

Sirius frowned at this, and Harry tried to think if he had said something that would upset his father. "Snape has never been a fair man, nor the type of man to care much about justice. Trust me, I know from experience."

"Sirius, don't get them worked up. It's over and done with-" Remus said, but Harry interrupted.

"What do you mean, you know from experience?" Harry asked.

Sirius sighed and Remus gave him a pointed look. "Look, Harry, I don't want to turn you against the man more. You three promise me you won't breathe a word of this to anyone, alright? Like Remus said, it doesn't matter much anymore." Sirius sounded annoyed as he mumbled the last part, so Harry knew it still mattered. He nodded nonetheless. "Well, I'm sure by now the three of you know that Snape's a spy for the Order. He acts as a Death-Eater, and he's a part of Voldemort's inner circle. Well, turns out he had the same job right before your parents died, Harry. Switched and started working for Dumbledore soon after you were born. Of course, Order members didn't know this at the time. Apparently the two had made a deal after the prophecy was spoken about you, though I don't know what any of that involved or what Snape even had to do with it. Anyway, the point is, Snape was in with the Death-Eaters; he knew who all of them were, as well as who all of the Order members were-"

Hermione gasped, realizing something that Harry hadn't caught. "Oh, Sirius…"

"What?" Ron asked, frustrated. "He knew who all the Death-Eaters and Order members were, so what?

"It means…" Harry started, catching on to where his father was coming from. "Snape would have known if there was a spy in the Order."

"Snape would have known that Wormtail was the spy, and was in the position to tell Dumbledore, should he choose. He probably didn't realize that Wormtail was made the secret-keeper, but he bloody well knew that he was a Death-Eater and not me." Sirius said angrily, throwing himself down in the chair.

"Which means that when you went to prison, Snape knew the truth. Snape knew you weren't a Death-Eater and didn't give the secret to Voldemort." Hermione said, looking sadly at Sirius.

"Right. I don't think he knew who told Voldemort, but he knew who was showing up to Death-Eater meetings. If he had wanted to, he could have pointed this out to Dumbledore, and I know Dumbledore would have gotten a trial for me… but instead, I sat in Azkaban for twelve years." Sirius said, looking out the window onto the grounds.

Everyone was silent for a moment, and Harry was stewing - he didn't think he could hate a man more than he hated Severus Snape.

"Why'd he do that to you?" Ron asked, unaware of the feud Snape had with the Marauders.

"We didn't treat Snape the best when we were boys…" Remus started, glancing at Sirius.

"No, we didn't, but it's not like he was an angel to us either. All the times that he hexed us, or got the bigger, older Slytherins to corner us. He deserved every bit of what he got," Sirius said grumpily, not moving his gaze from the window.

"Well… I don't suppose this is an ideal time to bring this up, but Harry, I suppose we need to go to detention soon." Hermione said, her voice cracking a bit.

"Wait, Harry, you can't. You have your meeting with Dumbledore tonight." Remus pointed out, standing up. "Why don't you three come with us to Professor McGonagall's office to see if we can get this worked out. In the least, Dumbledore will get you out of detention for tonight."

The three nodded and followed Sirius and Remus out the door.

McGonagall had agreed with Sirius and Remus's objections to the detentions, and went to speak to Snape herself. Sirius offered to walk Harry to Dumbledore's office, and the group bid goodbye to one another, Remus walking Ron and Hermione back to Gryffindor common room.

"What do you think Dumbledore will tell me about tonight?" Harry asked his godfather as they rounded a corner.

"Not sure," Sirius said with a shrug, "but he asked me to join you on this one. I believe he will be discussing a memory, though I'm not positive."

"Another memory of Voldemort's," Harry mumbled. "I suppose it'll be about a new horcrux. There should only be three left…" Harry trailed off, leaving a tense silence in the air, knowing that one of those three was himself.

When they walked into the office, Dumbledore stood to greet them. "Sirius, Harry, I've been waiting for you."

Sirius sat down in a seat in front of the headmaster's desk, Harry following suit.

"Now, as you both know, we are extremely close to knowing and destroying all of Voldemort's horcruxes; however, something has been brought to my attention that complicates things significantly. The reason I asked you to join us tonight Sirius, is to give you an assignment." Dumbledore paused, waiting for Sirius to nod. When he received the man's confirmation, he continued. "You recall giving Harry training lessons before the third task last year, correct?" Sirius nodded again. "Well, I need you to start those up again. Harry will need to be prepared, seeing as the war seems to be coming at us full force, and, as talented as you are, Harry, you are not ready to defeat Voldemort yet."

Harry nodded his understanding, knowing that the headmaster was right. They had gotten four out of seven of the horcruxes and if they kept destroying them at this rate, the time to fight Voldemort would come sooner, rather than later.

"The memory I have involves a Hufflepuff artifact; surely, Harry you remember me telling you that I believe Voldemort wanted an artifact from each house?" Harry nodded as Dumbledore continued. "Based on this memory, from Hokey the house elf, I believe I discovered it, though I am unaware of its whereabouts. I will do my best to investigate, but I have unfortunately discovered some concerning news…"

Harry and Sirius both stared at the headmaster, waiting for him to speak. Dumbledore sighed, then looked between the two. "There has been a death threat placed on my head from Lord Voldemort. Normally, this wouldn't frighten me; however, I have discovered it was ordered to be carried out by a student here at Hogwarts, out of revenge for his father's failure."

Harry felt his mouth drop open. "Malfoy? It's Malfoy, isn't it, Professor? He attacked me last week!"

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I believe that attack was out of pure revenge, and not on Voldemort's orders; however, Voldemort is angry at Lucius's failing to retrieve the prophecy and then getting shut away in Azkaban. He has asked Draco to murder me, which he knows Draco will fail to do. I have arranged my death with someone else, so that Draco does not necessarily fail, and his soul remains intact."

"What!" Sirius exclaimed, shooting up in his chair. "Dumbledore, why? Can't we just offer Malfoy protection?"

"Then our Order spy will be revealed to Voldemort," Dumbledore explained, shaking his head. "I cannot risk losing such a valuable asset to the Order."

Sirius rolled his eyes, clearly not agreeing with Dumbledore on Snape's "importance" to the Order, but he held his tongue. "So someone else will kill you in Draco's place? When is this to happen?"

"I can't say," Dumbledore said. "I don't even know; I suppose whenever Draco feels that he is ready. Severus will be keeping an eye on him, and will alert me when the time comes. The reason I tell you this is not to frighten you, but to make you both aware that I am on borrowed time. I want to make this as easy on you as possible, Harry. We need to destroy this next horcrux before my time comes; that will just leave the snake and-"

"Me," Harry finished for him, "How is that supposed to work? Am I just supposed to kill myself when we destroy the snake?"

"No," Sirius said before Dumbledore could get a word out, looking at the headmaster with hard eyes.

"Sirius is correct," Dumbledore said wearily. "Tonight, I will give you information on this horcrux, my leads on where to find it, and then vital information on how _you_ can win. I just need you to trust me. Okay, Harry?"

Harry nodded and waited for Dumbledore to begin. "First, Harry, have you heard the _Tale of Three Brothers_?" Harry shook his head, and Dumbledore smiled a little. "I figured you would not have, considering you grew up with muggles. It's a children's fairy tale that holds significant truth. I believe that there will come a time in which Voldemort will want to retrieve one of the objects mentioned in that story; it is _vital_ that he does not, that you receive it instead."

"How does the story go?" Harry asked, confused as to what a fairy tale had to do with the dark wizard.

"Lily used to read it to you when you were a baby," Sirius explained. "It comes from the Tales of Beedle the Bard, a fairy tale book for wizarding children. It's about three brothers that defied death and received objects that fulfilled their heart's desire; the most powerful wand, a stone that could bring the dead to life, and an invisibility cloak. Does that sound familiar?"

Harry nodded, thinking of his own invisibility cloak. "Does that mean that my dad's cloak-"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, it is a hallow. The objects are known as the Deathly Hallows and many wizards and witches have perished looking for them." Harry noticed a sad glint came into Dumbledore's eye, but it was gone after a moment. "Harry, you're a distant descendant of the Peverell's, the original men in the story. That's why the cloak is in your possession. I have the elder wand," Dumbledore explained, showing it to the two men.

Sirius's mouth opened in shock. "You got that from-"

"Grindelwald," Dumbledore said, looking uncomfortable. "He possessed it when I defeated him, so it's power was transferred to me. Harry, what I am about to tell you is crucial, so listen closely. The way I've planned it, Draco will overpower me when he tries to kill me, though he won't do the actual deed. Therefore, the elder wand's power will go to him, though he won't be aware of it. He probably won't even realize that the wand actually exists. I will be buried with my wand, but there is no doubt in my mind that Voldemort will go after it, especially since he's realized that the cores of the two of your wands are brothers. He won't be able to properly fight you with the wand he possesses; if he didn't realize it last year in the graveyard, he'll know soon. He'll search for a more powerful wand-"

"He'll go after the elder wand," Sirius finished, looking at the wand in Dumbledore's hand.

"Precisely," Dumbledore said with a nod. "But it won't work for him because Draco will be its true master. Harry, for everything to end up the way it should, you _must_ disarm Draco at some point following my death, but before you face Voldemort. That is key. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded, though he was confused. "That's all I have to do? Draco wouldn't even have the wand, would he?"

"No," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "But wandlore is a magical thing, and it will know when you overpower him that you are his true master."

"But won't Voldemort get to Draco first?" Harry asked, confused. "Especially if he assigned Draco to kill you?"

"Voldemort will not understand how the wand works; the man does not thirst for knowledge, he thirsts for power. Simply knowing that it exists, he will assume the man that killed me will have the power of the wand, not Draco. This, of course, requires my plan to work out perfectly, but I have confidence in all involved." Dumbledore explained.

"So, how will I get the wand then?" Harry asked.

"You don't need it," Dumbledore said. "Just trust me, all you must do is disarm Draco."

Harry nodded, though he still felt as if he had more questions than answers; however, Dumbledore was continuing. "Harry, there will come a time when Voldemort is very scared for the life of his snake. This will mean that the time is coming for the final battle. You've heard the prophecy, Harry - one of you will not survive."

"Dumbledore," Sirius said angrily, but the headmaster put up a hand to silence him.

"Trust me, Sirius. We _need_ Harry to win-" Dumbledore started, only to be cut off by Harry.

"But how can I win if I'm a horcrux? I have to be the one who dies so someone else can finish him off." Harry trailed off, looking down. Sirius made a noise of protest and began to say something, but Dumbledore beat him to it.

"That, Harry, will become apparent in time. The most important thing I need you to know right now is that you _must_ disarm Draco, and we need to get that last horcrux." Dumbledore said simply.

Harry and Sirius both sat there, appearing uncomfortable and confused, but waiting for the headmaster to continue anyway. "Ron and Hermione will be of vital importance to you, also, Harry. Don't forget about them. I have two things to give to Mr. Weasley and you. First, the snitch you caught at your first quidditch match."

Harry looked at his godfather, and the man nodded to the object Dumbledore was handing him. Harry looked at the headmaster like he had lost it.

"I hope that you will not need to use it for some time, but the war is progressing fast and I feel it will become inevitable-" Dumbledore began, only to be cut off by Harry.

"But sir, what do I use it for?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"That will also become apparent with time," Dumbledore said. "Give this to Mr. Weasley as well. He'll know what to do with it when the time comes." Dumbledore handed Harry a black stick looking object. Harry pocketed it, still extremely confused.

"I had initially planned to leave them in my will, however, given the current state of the ministry, I didn't trust it to be left to you. Sirius, I have one more thing Harry will need, but I would like you to keep up with it. I feel that you will do a better job hiding it until it is needed." Dumbledore said, turning and pulling the Sword of Gryffindor out of its hilt in his office.

"That's for getting rid of the horcruxes, then?" Harry asked, watching as his godfather tucked it away into a bag he magically enlarged.

Dumbledore nodded. "Speaking of which, we need to discuss the last object we have to find, which I now believe to be Helga Hufflepuff's cup."

Harry and Sirius nodded, and situated themselves as Dumbledore continued. "As I said, I collected a memory from Hokey the House Elf, who belonged to Hepzibah Smith at one point in time. I have viewed the memory, and for the sake of time, will tell you its contents now. We have some major planning to do this evening, however, so I would like to keep this part short."

"Planning for what?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've talked to your father already, so I suppose it won't hurt to tell you know. We're going to attempt to retrieve the cup this coming weekend. Should we succeed, that leaves you one more week of class and the holiday break to rest up before we start preparing for an ambush or battle. I have a feeling it's coming soon." Dumbledore explained. "So Hokey was Mrs. Smith's house elf at the time that she got a visit from Tom Riddle. Tom had heard that she was a descendent of Helga Hufflepuff, and was in the process of creating his horcruxes. As you know by now, he was fascinated by Hogwarts and wanted as many artifacts as he could get from here. He poisoned Mrs. Smith and stole her cup once she showed him it. Hokey was blamed for it, because Tom poisoned her tea and Hokey was the one who had delivered it to her. Hokey was devastated and knew that she didn't poison her mistress, but it was too late - Tom had gotten away."

Harry thought the memory over, then asked a question. "Where do you think he hid the cup, professor?"

"I found out that he originally intended to hide the locket that you destroyed last summer in a cave on the coast. I think he prefered natural places, so I have a lead that we can look into this coming weekend near Albania."

Harry and Sirius both nodded and continued listening.

"We leave here at 9 PM sharp on Friday - there shouldn't be any students wandering the halls that late at night. Harry, you are to bring your invisibility cloak, and Sirius, make sure you have the sword packed just in case we find it. We're going to apparate out of Hogsmeade to the location. I don't know what kind of dark magic will be in the area when we get there. I need you both to promise me now that you will follow every instruction I give you, even if that means leaving me behind to escape for yourselves." Dumbledore said gravely.

"But, sir-" Harry started, only to be cut off by the headmaster.

"No, Harry, I need your word. You are the most important person in this war and you need Sirius - there is a death threat on my head that could come any day now, it's more important that you two escape than me. If it becomes apparent that you two will have to leave me behind, Harry, you must disarm me - you don't need the wand, but you must do it. If we make it back okay and I have to go through my plan for my death, then you must disarm Draco. Understand?"

Harry looked to Sirius, who was nodding. He nodded as well, though he didn't feel sure about this mission at all.

"Alright then. I will see the both of you in the entrance hall at 9 PM on Friday. If all goes well, we should only have the snake to worry about." Dumbledore explained.

Harry looked down at his feet and Sirius knew exactly what he was thinking - they wouldn't have to just worry about killing the snake, they'd have to find a way to remove the horcrux without killing Harry.


End file.
